Insider's Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards: A 2025 outlook

As a proud sponsor of Insider's Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards in November, we were delighted to see the top deals, firms, and individuals in the region's corporate finance community being celebrated. 

We caught up after the awards with Richard Ackers, Director, Business Development, North East, at Arbuthnot Commercial Asset Based Lending to chat through what 2025 has in store for business in Yorkshire.

Yorkshire is a key economic area for the UK. Can you put this into context? 

"Yorkshire has a large and diverse economy, which befits the UK’s largest region, generating around £110 billion each year. Retail and wholesale make up its biggest industry at 14.2% of all companies, with a very healthy scientific sector being a close second at 12.9%. Yorkshire also has a flourishing professional services sector, and manufacturing and construction continue to be important employers in the region. Tourism also is a major industry in the Yorkshire economy. As an area of rich history and outstanding natural beauty, Yorkshire attracts visitors from around the world and is an especially important part of the economy of North Yorkshire."   

Is Arbuthnot Commercials Asset Based Lending a strong supporter of business in the region? 

"Yes, indeed. We have a rich track record of supporting successful businesses in the region. Two deals immediately sprint to mind: We provided a flexible £2m growth financing package for Yorkshire-based Henley Construction Management Group Ltd (Henley Group), structuring a confidential invoice discounting facility and RLS term loan that supplied significant additional working capital to support the Group’s ambitious expansion plans. 

 We also supported Inspirit Capital in completing the corporate carve-out of Modular People Solutions (MPS) from Capita Plc. We structured a comprehensive solution to meet the funding requirements of the transaction within a time-critical completion deadline. The facility consisted of a cash flow loan to support the initial purchase consideration and a revolving funding line to optimise ongoing working capital." 

What does 2025 have in store for business in Yorkshire? 

"Although deal volumes have reduced in recent times in the region and across the UK, we have noticed that deal values have increased, reflecting a focus on strategic, high-value transactions. The economic challenges have been well documented. But with the Budget out of the way we can now see the road ahead, allowing businesses to navigate more clearly. 

With potentially a more benign inflationary environment ahead of us and the prospect of the lowering of interest rates, we can envisage an increase in M&A activity, perhaps with an emphasis on ‘buy and build’ strategies which can come to the fore in times of lower economic growth. 

Above all, we see great potential for business in Yorkshire. There is significant private equity ‘dry powder’ awaiting deployment, pent-up demand from baby boomer business owners seeking exits, and an increasing appetite to make key strategic investments to boost competitive advantage, whether that be to harness talent, deploy technology or any number of disrupters that can propel businesses forward. It is a dynamic time for business and a great opportunity for the region." 

What advice would you give businesses in the region when planning for 2025? 

"Conditions are improving and so it’s time to revisit plans and ambitions that were perhaps put on the back burner because of uncertainty. Dust them off, re-shape them for right now, and look to the future with greater confidence."

Gatwick Office: The Beehive, City Place, Gatwick, RH6 0PA

Registered in England and Wales no. 10915339. Arbuthnot Commercial Asset Based Lending Limited’s registered office is Arbuthnot House, 20 Finsbury Circus, London, EC2M 7EA. Arbuthnot Commercial Asset Based Lending is not authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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