Subscribe to unlock this article
Thanks for your support.
The second annual ETA Awards, hosted by Gerald Edelman yesterday brought together over 150 professionals from the search community to celebrate outstanding achievements in the field. This second annual event recognized the individuals and teams who are redefining succession solutions, creating value, and driving growth through the ETA model.
Over the past 12 months, Gerald Edelman has witnessed ongoing growth in traditional SF in the UK, along with a rise in holding companies and self-funded searchers, with their corporate finance team successfully completing 13 ETA transactions since the 2023 awards.
Each nominee underwent a rigorous evaluation by a panel of industry experts, including Bramley Johnson, a search fund investor; Alex Glasner, a successful searcher who acquired Workpays in 2021 and previous ETA Awards winner; and Lisa Conmy, Partner at JMW. The winners were then announced as follows:
- Deal of the Year Self-Funded:
Acquisition of Mediline Group Services and Mediline Supported Living – Birch Faraday Capital
- Community Contribution:
Paul Quirk, Buy and Build Podcast
- Deal of The Year Traditional – Head to Head
Aquisition of Saepio Solutions Ltd – Aurias
- ESG Excellence – Head to Head
Acquisition of Set-A-Side Storage – Colmers Capital
- Lender of the Year
Allica Bank
The winners exemplified outstanding leadership, whether by identifying high-potential targets, navigating negotiations to close successful deals, or inspiring and mentoring others on their acquisition paths. Through active involvement in successful deals, they’ve shared their insights to nurture a thriving community of acquisition entrepreneurs, helping to advance the field and pave the way for future generations of searchers.
Carl Lundberg, CEO of Gerald Edelman and Founder of The ETA Awards, commented: “The most enjoyable thing I have done in my career is working with searchers and it is a great pleasure to be a part of the community. Evenings like tonight allow us to recognise the search community and the individuals who have taken bold steps to turn their dreams of business ownership into reality.“
Primary sponsor of the awards was Shawbrook Bank. Award sponsors: Marriott Harrison, Ashtons Legal, BizCrunch, JMW. Entertainment sponsor: Altenburg Advisory. Drinks sponsor: Irwin Mitchell. Media partner: Search Fund News.
