Nigel has been a partner at Opus since its inception in 2006. Nigel has clients across a broad range of sectors and specialises in advice to entrepreneur, family and trust owned businesses. Areas of sector focus include the Built Environment; B2B consulting and tech-enabled business services; and media and events.
Recent assignments have included advice on: the financing of a modular housing manufacturer; the sale of an international B2B events business; the sale of a private members club; and the sale of a financial services software and services provider.
Nigel joined SG Warburg in 1983 and in 1997 was recruited as Head of Corporate Finance at Enskilda Securities in London. Nigel has a degree in Economics from Cambridge University and is a member of the ICAEW.
DEXMA
Our Approach
- We are committed to providing best advice and delivering the right outcome for our clients
- We are experienced in managing cross-border transactions
- We offer deep sector insights, bringing together our expertise in Sustainability with our focuses on Industrial Technologies and the Built Environment
We employed these capabilities when we advised DEXMA on its sale to Nemetschek.
Sector
Energy Transition & Climate Change Industrial Technologies & Services The Built Environment
Public or Private: Private
Client Position: Seller
- Company Profile
- Transaction Background
- What We Did
- Outcome
DEXMA was founded in 2007 and is based in Barcelona. The company leads the market in applying Artificial Intelligence to energy management in commercial real estate portfolios.
Using their database of 70,000+ buildings, DEXMA offer software which is able to benchmark energy consumption, identify outliers, and produce sophisticated energy efficiency proposals that are easy to understand, prioritise, and act upon.
- DEXMA’s objective was to maximise the deployment and impact of their technology, and accelerate reduction in carbon generated by commercial real estate
- To achieve this, the company was seeking new, strategic ownership giving access to larger distribution channels, sales resources and cross-selling opportunities
- We managed an international, competitive process, which identified strong interest from strategic counterparts across building control and energy hardware, software and services businesses
- The result was a successful sale to Nemetschek, which offered strong alignment to DEXMA in terms of product offer and client base
- Access to greater distribution will deliver the company’s strategic growth aspirations
Wimbledon Park Golf Club
Our Approach
- Thorough preparation and analysis of legal parameters and stakeholder objectives
- Engagement with all stakeholders to confirm objectives and to progress consensus
- Presentation of deliverable and negotiated solution for formal consideration by stakeholders
We employed these capabilities when we advised the members of Wimbledon Park Golf Club.
- Company Profile
- Transaction Background
- What We Did
- Outcome
Wimbledon Park Golf Club is an 18-hole parkland course set around the Wimbledon Park Lake, in the heart of London SW19. The club was owned by its members and held a 23 year lease for the golf course land. The freeholder was the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC) which is situated adjacent to the course and runs the Wimbledon Championships.
- AELTC wished to buy back the golf course lease in order to use the golf course land to expand tournament facilities and had made a number of financial proposals to the WPGC members
- After a period of internal discussions, the member appointed board at WPGC decided to appoint financial advisers to manage the process of engagement with AELTC and to ensure effective member consultation through a rigorous, impartial process
- Working with legal and property advisers, Opus advised on extensive consultation with WPGC members alongside negotiations with AELTC to provide an optimal proposal for member consideration
- As part of the process, the governance of WPGC required updating and reconstituting to provide transparent and effective decision processes and deliverable outcomes
- A substantially improved proposal was negotiated with AELTC for consideration by WPGC members
- Under the renewed WPGC constitution the pros and cons of the AELTC proposal (both financial and non-financial) were set out in a detailed document to inform a vote by members on the final AELTC proposal without any recommendation as to voting. The AELTC proposal was approved by special resolution of WPGC members
Pocket Living
Our Approach
- We build long-term relationships, supporting clients from early stages
- Our deep knowledge of the affordable housing market underpinned the compelling investment case
- Engagement with international strategic investor ensured capital for long-term growth
We employed these capabilities when we advised Pocket Living on its initial sale of a 50% stake to Related Companies, a large US developer of affordable housing. The transaction was the first of its kind, where a US real estate firm invested in the UK’s affordable housing market.
Sector
The Built Environment
Public or Private: Private
Client Position: Seller
- Company Profile
- Transaction Background
- What We Did
- Outcome
Founded in 2005, Pocket Living is a leading developer of affordable homes, designed to be starter homes for ‘city makers’, and is supported by the Greater London Authority.
Opus has built a long-term relationship with the management and shareholders of Pocket, who we have advised previously on securing equity finance from Greater London Enterprise Group and on Pocket’s co-venture funding arrangements with CarVal Investors.
- Accelerating growth at Pocket provided the opportunity to link up with a larger well capitalised partner to achieve medium term goals consistent with Pocket’s core social objectives
- Pocket and Related were well known to each other through Related’s joint venture with Argent, a key developer at the King’s Cross renewal project
- Working with the Pocket team, we helped evolve a participation and progressive ownership structure to allow a transaction to proceed with Related
- The team developed Pocket’s medium term business plans to provide a robust underpinning to the future performance targets set by the transactions
- Successful progressive transfer of ownership to Related, a much larger US equivalent
- The transaction has enabled Pocket to accelerate its development programme and cement its position as a leading independent provider of affordable housing for key workers
Low Carbon Workplace
Our Approach
- Thorough preparation and analysis of legal parameters and stakeholder objectives
- Engagement with all stakeholders to confirm objectives and to progress consensus
- Presentation of deliverable and negotiated solution for formal consideration by stakeholders
We employed these capabilities when we advised the members of Wimbledon Park Golf Club.
Sector
Energy Transition & Climate Change The Built Environment
Public or Private: Private
Client Position: Seller
- Company Profile
- Transaction Background
- What We Did
- Outcome
Wimbledon Park Golf Club is an 18-hole parkland course set around the Wimbledon Park Lake, in the heart of London SW19. The club was owned by its members and held a 23 year lease for the golf course land. The freeholder was the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC) which is situated adjacent to the course and runs the Wimbledon Championships.
- AELTC wished to buy back the golf course lease in order to use the golf course land to expand tournament facilities and had made a number of financial proposals to the WPGC members
- After a period of internal discussions, the member appointed board at WPGC decided to appoint financial advisers to manage the process of engagement with AELTC and to ensure effective member consultation through a rigorous, impartial process
- Working with legal and property advisers, Opus advised on extensive consultation with WPGC members alongside negotiations with AELTC to provide an optimal proposal for member consideration
- As part of the process, the governance of WPGC required updating and reconstituting to provide transparent and effective decision processes and deliverable outcomes
- A substantially improved proposal was negotiated with AELTC for consideration by WPGC members
- Under the renewed WPGC constitution the pros and cons of the AELTC proposal (both financial and non-financial) were set out in a detailed document to inform a vote by members on the final AELTC proposal without any recommendation as to voting. The AELTC proposal was approved by special resolution of WPGC members