Dow Schofield Watts Midlands corporate finance team passes £300m deal value milestone
We are pleased to share DSW’s Midlands corporate finance team has passed £300m in aggregate deal value, marking a major milestone three years after its formation.
The milestone comes as the eight-strong team announces further internal progress. Ishan Sharda, corporate finance manager, has recently been promoted, reflecting his continued development since joining in June 2024.
Joshua Pepper has also joined as assistant manager. He brings corporate finance experience from a national advisory firm and began his career training in audit at KPMG.
Ishan and Joshua are part of the client-facing M&A advisory team based in Leicester, supporting partners in advising mid-market businesses and their owners on acquisitions, disposals and management buyouts, as well as equity and debt funding for strategic transactions. The team works with clients mainly across the Midlands and central England, as well as a number further afield in the UK and overseas.
Since its formation three years ago, the team has completed 19 deals with an aggregate value of more than £300m. Its work spans sales, acquisitions and management buyouts across sectors including the built environment, business services, consumer products and industrials.
Recent highlights include advising on FM Mattsson’s acquisition of Tamworth-based Bristan for £50m, Brand K’s acquisition of Wolverhampton-based Utopia Bathrooms, and the management buyout of Droitwich-based Haydon Marketing.
Harry Walker, Partner at DSW, said, “Passing £300m in deal value is a significant milestone and reflects the calibre of the team, the strength of our client relationships and the breadth of work we are delivering. Ishan’s latest promotion recognises his valued contribution, while Joshua brings experience that will further strengthen our ability to support ambitious businesses and management teams across the region. We continue to invest in the development of our offering and see strong momentum building into 2027.”
The team’s track record has also earned Team of the Year nominations across the major East Midlands, West Midlands, and Central and East regional corporate finance awards in 2026, alongside a number of individual and deal shortlistings.
From L – R: Ishan Sharda, Fahim Kassam, Pranav Nadiapara, Ryan Shields, Harry Walker, Gurpreet Poonia, and Joshua Pepper
