Cortus launches service to facilitate business acquisitions

Fulwood-based Cortus Advisory Group has launched a new service designed to identify acquisition targets for growing businesses.

Cortus Compass will be led by Alex Ford in the North West and James Groot in Yorkshire. Together, they head up the Cortus Corporate Advisory team.

The new service typically comprises three stages. Initially, the team will create a map of the market based on the client's industry, geography, scale and ambitions. The Cortus team will then reach out to potential targets to explore the option of a transaction, with a view to facilitating an introduction. Finally, Cortus will provide support on the deal through to its completion.

Alex Ford (pictured above) said: "Running a growing business is a full-time role, leaving little capacity to think about and execute the activities that catapult a business on to the next level – such as an acquisition. Understanding a marketplace, having full visibility of it and subsequently qualifying the opportunities within it, is a skill. One that we have developed through our M&A experience."

Cortus has also promoted three managers within the transaction services team: Dan Gallagher, James Milton and Ben Emmett.

The business has seen notable growth in the past 12 months, growing to a team of 18 with plans to open a second office in Leeds city centre in May and a third in Manchester by June.

The transaction services team has advised on more than 35 completed transactions during this time.

Nicola Merritt, CEO of the Group said: "Since our launch last May, we have hit the ground running. We have recruited and developed a high calibre team with plans to further expand our service offerings and geographies in the near future.

"Cortus Compass embodies our approach of offering tailored solutions, delivered by an experienced team, working collaboratively with our clients to achieve their goals. I am very proud of the progress that Cortus Advisory Group has made in such a short time which is testament to the team’s hard work over the last 12 months."