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Zack Goddard

Having previously spent four years at PwC, I joined the Clearwater M&A team in Manchester in 2017. I am currently a Director within the Industrials team and lead our UK efforts within the Infrastructure Services market covering specialist Utility, Renewable, Highway, Rail and Telecom services as well as Equipment as a Service. My recent notable transactions include the sale of OCU Group to Triton, the sale of Road Traffic Solutions to Equistone backed BUKO and the sale of WJ Group to THI.

James Croxen

I’m an experienced M&A Director based out of the Leeds office. I joined Clearwater in 2020, as a founding member of the Leeds team and have played an important role in growing the team as well as establishing Clearwater Leeds as a leading adviser in the region. I have 19 years of M&A experience, advising clients on all types of transactions including, minority and majority PE investments and sales to strategic trade as well as working on the buy-side for both private equity and trade acquirers. I am a calm and level-headed adviser and take great pride in delivering exceptional outcomes for clients. Outside of work, I am a father to two teenage girls, a keen golfer, general sports fan, and enjoy going skiing once a year with my family.

Simon Sig Vestbjerg

I have always had an interest in creating value from the right data and analysis and it motivates me a lot to see how that value means a big difference for the owner-founders we advise. It is always super rewarding to reach the goal with a sale you have worked long and hard on - and especially to see the clients' joy. On top of that, it gives me the energy to work in a dynamic environment with skilled and inspiring colleagues.

Lars Rau Jacobsen

I have spent my entire work life in Clearwater where I, together with my colleagues, have advised businesses and owner-founders, especially within the industry and service sector. I highly appreciate the trust that our clients show us in often life-changing situations, and in my counseling, I emphasise realising the right exit and owner strategy that creates value for both shareholders, management teams and businesses. I cultivate my interest in sales preparation and owner strategy outside the office as well, giving presentations and teaching boards in the Danish community.

Grégoire Houëdry

I am currently an Associate Director at Clearwater having joined in 2018 as an Analyst. I have been involved in transactions across the healthcare and business services sectors, most notably advising on the sales of France Thermes and Crèches de France. Clearwater creates a challenging and demanding environment which allows me to push myself every day alongside experienced professionals. Working in M&A is particularly exciting work with the opportunity to help clients in strategic decisions and to participate in their economic growth. I graduated from Université Paris-Dauphine with a major in Corporate Finance and Financial Engineering.

The process of selling a business

John Sheridan

I am the Managing Partner of Clearwater International’s Irish business. As founders of this business, John Curtin and I joined up with Clearwater in October 2015 having traded as a boutique brand known as Core Corporate Finance over the previous year. Prior to this, I was Managing Director at Key Capital Corporate Finance in Dublin, where I worked for eight years. I have 21 years’ experience as a corporate finance professional having originally qualified as a chartered accountant with PwC in 1997. At Clearwater, I lead our food & beverage team internationally. Our team in Ireland covers all sectors with a particular focus on food & beverage, TMT, industrials & chemicals and business services. The deals I am most proud of are the sale of IT services business, Version1, where we advised the shareholders on the company’s sale to private equity firm, Volpi Capital in a €90m MBO, followed recently by the sale of telecommunications engineering business, KN Group to French-based Circet. Since joining Clearwater, I try to lead by example and inspire our team to drive for excellence and high performance in everything we do. The strong results-oriented and personalised culture of our firm helps both retain and attract great talent. I enjoy working with highly ambitious entrepreneurs who are looking to develop their business internationally and use my experience gained over the past 21 years in navigating the optimal M&A process to help achieve their goals. I have completed eleven transactions over the past three years at Clearwater with a combined deal value of c. €1bn.

Clearwater outperforms in 2023 and expects improving conditions and growth in 2024

Matthias Niess

"Financial transparency" is my hobbyhorse. I have been providing financial support to companies from various sectors for more than 20 years: in the area of M&A, particularly with regard to fit for sale and due diligence; in the area of restructuring in the development and implementation of solutions with maximum benefit for all parties involved. After studying business administration, I gained many years of practical experience and knowledge in advising our clients as CFO (medium-sized companies) and controller (internationally active plant and mechanical engineering company). I have been with ZETRA AG (corporate finance consulting) since 2002 and with Clearwater since 2023.

Selling to a strategic buyer