Full-service M&A advisory for businesses buying or selling in the UK , and for UAE and GCC investors targeting UK acquisitions. We advise on sell-side mandates, buy-side acquisitions, financial due diligence, exit planning, and capital raising across London and the wider UK market, with specialist cross-border expertise on the UAE-UK corridor. Every mandate is led personally by a CFA Charterholder with 15+ years of Big 4 M&A experience.
M&A advisory in the UK covers the full transaction lifecycle: sell-side mandate management, buy-side advisory, cross-border M&A on the UAE-UK corridor, financial due diligence, and capital raising from GCC and international investors. Corvian Advisory provides CFA-led M&A advisory for UK mid-market transactions from £1M. No retainer for M&A mandates. Success fee of 2%–5%.
Direct GCC investor relationships and cross-border deal execution most UK advisors cannot reach , sovereign funds, family offices, and strategic acquirers.
15+ years of transaction experience applied directly to your mandate , institutional rigour without institutional bureaucracy or fees.
NSI Act, FCA change of control, BADR, pension liabilities, and locked-box mechanics handled as default scope, not billable extras.
M&A mandates run on success fee only , 2%–5% of deal value. Standalone valuation and FDD services are fixed-fee, agreed upfront.
Valuations in 5–10 business days. FDD in 3–4 weeks , faster than Big Four because we are not managing 40 other clients simultaneously.
The person you meet at the first conversation leads your transaction from day one to close , no delegation to junior analysts.
The UK mid-market remains one of the world's most active M&A environments. Understanding the current market dynamics is essential for any buyer or seller.
The UK mid-market is being driven by four forces. Private equity is the most active buyer category by volume, with PE-backed consolidation across professional services, healthcare, technology, and business services. The UK's entrepreneur demographic is ageing , a significant cohort of founder-owners in their 50s and 60s are reaching exit-readiness, generating strong sell-side pipeline in manufacturing, distribution, and professional services.
GCC institutional buyers , sovereign wealth funds, family conglomerates, and investment companies , are deploying capital into UK technology, financial services, healthcare, and real estate at scale. The UAE-UK CEPA (2023) has formalised bilateral investment flows. ADIA, Mubadala, and PIF are among the most active foreign buyers of UK assets by value.
Interest rate normalisation has improved deal financing conditions compared to 2023–2024, with leveraged finance markets reopening for mid-market PE transactions.
| Sector | EV/EBITDA | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Technology & SaaS | 10–20x | Very Active |
| Financial Services & FinTech | 8–16x | Very Active |
| Healthcare & Life Sciences | 9–15x | Very Active |
| Professional Services | 7–12x | Growing |
| Business Services & Logistics | 6–11x | Growing |
| Education & Training | 7–13x | Growing |
| F&B / Hospitality | 6–10x | Strategic |
| Manufacturing & Industrials | 5–9x | Growing |
Indicative EV/EBITDA multiples from UK mid-market M&A comparable transactions. Source: Corvian Advisory analysis, Mergermarket UK, GCA Altium data.
UK M&A involves a distinct set of regulatory, tax, and structural considerations that every buyer and seller must address from day one.
A structured, five-step process that protects confidentiality, creates competitive tension among buyers, and maximises value for UK business owners.
Valuation and review. Normalisation, pension liabilities, R&D credit sustainability, BADR, NSI Act/FCA considerations.
CIM, management presentation, structured data room, normalised EBITDA model, locked-box reference date.
Confidential approach to 15–30 qualified buyers: PE funds, trade acquirers, GCC family offices and sovereign funds.
Manage buyer DD. Negotiate locked-box vs. completion accounts, W&I insurance, earn-outs, warranty cap, BADR structure.
SPA execution, Companies House filings, FCA/NSI Act approvals, full post-completion support.
A UK B2B SaaS business with ~£4M ARR. Pre-sale preparation identified an R&D credit QoE issue inflating reported EBITDA. Competitive process targeting UK PE, European strategics, and GCC technology investors.
FDD identified an undisclosed defined benefit pension deficit of ~£3.1M and a working capital peg that would have transferred £900K excess value to the seller. NSI Act planning incorporated from mandate start.
A UAE professional services group's first UK acquisition required IFRS 3 PPA. Intangibles identified: client relationships (£2.8M), non-compete (£0.4M), trade name (£1.1M) , £4.3M total against £2.1M goodwill.
Unlike Big Four firms that charge hourly rates, every mandate has a fixed, agreed fee before work begins. For M&A mandates, we work on success-fee-only , no retainer.
"No retainer. No hourly billing. No scope creep invoices. A success fee only , and we succeed when you close your transaction at the right price."
No retainer for most mandates. Minimum fee applies, agreed at signing.
Fixed fee based on target size. QoE, working capital, net debt, UK CT, pension analysis.
No retainer for most mandates. Success fee on close; includes search, FDD coordination.
For independent business valuation in the UK , from GBP 1,500 , see our dedicated UK Business Valuation page.
Five stages: independent valuation, CIM and data room, confidential buyer outreach, negotiation (locked-box or completion accounts, W&I insurance, earn-outs), and legal documentation to close. Typically 4–9 months.
Technology and SaaS, financial services and FinTech, healthcare and life sciences, professional services roll-ups, and education. Mid-market business services and logistics remain consistently active.
Mandatory notification for 25%+ acquisitions in 17 sensitive sectors including defence, energy, AI, data infrastructure. Reviewed in ~30 working days, complex cases 90+ days. Failure to notify can void the transaction.
Practically yes , sellers without one consistently receive lower offers. It establishes a defensible price, surfaces issues before buyers find them, and identifies off-balance-sheet intangible value.
Identifies which profits are genuinely recurring vs. inflated by owner adjustments, R&D credits, pension service costs, or non-arm's-length related-party transactions.
Fixes price at a historical balance sheet date (2–4 months pre-signing); the seller cannot extract value without buyer consent from that date to completion , certainty on price, no post-closing disputes.
Yes, no general restriction on foreign ownership. Additional requirements: NSI Act for sensitive sectors, FCA approval for regulated acquisitions, CMA review above competition thresholds.
Governs dividends, interest, royalties, and capital gains between the two countries. Holding company location (ADGM, DIFC, Jersey) significantly affects post-acquisition tax leakage.
3–5 weeks for a £1M–£50M target vs. 6–10 weeks at Big Four. A preliminary QoE summary can be delivered in 10–14 days for competitive processes.
Yes , full sale, partial sale, and management buyout structures with particular care around family dynamics, BADR qualification, and confidentiality.
Corporation tax at 25%, SDLT on property-rich companies, share vs. asset purchase treatment, BADR (10% CGT on first £1M), and the UAE-UK DTA for cross-border buyers.
"We were selling a UK technology business with a complicated R&D credit position. Corvian identified and fixed the QoE issue before buyers did. We received four offers and closed above our target."
"We were a UAE family office making our first UK acquisition. The FDD identified a pension deficit and working capital peg issue that would have cost us millions. Corvian also mapped the DTA implications upfront."
"We needed an IFRS 3 PPA for our UK acquisition fast. Corvian delivered in under three weeks and the report was accepted by our auditors without revision. Significantly faster than the Big Four."
Whether selling a UK business, acquiring a UK target, or seeking FDD , we respond within 24 hours with a clear, no-obligation scope and fee.