Big night for Journal Deals award winners

Jun 26 2008 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

THE winners of the inaugural Journal Deals awards will be unveiled before 300 guests at a black-tie dinner at the Gateshead Hilton tonight.

In association with Watson Burton law firm the awards were set up to recognise the achievements of local business people, private and public sector organisations and the professional teams of regionally based lawyers, accountants and corporate finance firms.

The Deals Awards comprise six categories and one overall winner – Acquisition of the Year, Sale of the Year, MBO/MBI of the Year, Small/Mid-Size Company Deal, Emerging Dealmaker, Dealmaker of the Year and Deal of the Year.

A full report on the winners and the event will appear in tomorrow’s Journal and a gallery of photos will appear on our website nebusiness.co.uk tomorrow.

A supplement focusing on the deals and dealmakers will also appear in The Journal on Wednesday, July 9.

Gillian Hall, head of Watson Burton’s corporate department and a judge of the Deals Awards said: “The North East has a vibrant, competitive professional services market.

“The number of successful deals carried out by local firms for regional companies is consistently high. The Deals Awards puts the spotlight on the forward-thinking organisations which keep the region moving forward – and their hard-working advisers.

“As judges for the Deals Awards we have had some difficult decisions to make. There have been some excellent submissions, all of which deserve recognition. For those entrepreneurial companies which have risked much to drive their businesses forward, the real reward is in seeing such positive results.

“Successful transactions depend on high quality advice from professionals, and the North East is rich in that sector. A strong professional service industry is essential to the wellbeing of the North East economy. It creates employment and wealth, and cultivates business for local companies.

“Regional law, accountancy and corporate finance firms have grown strongly in the last decade. That growth is a reflection of the success of their clients.”

The Deals Awards have also received sponsorship from UBS Wealth Management, Durham University, unw chartered accountants, North Star equity investors and e.on.

To view a gallery of photographs from the event visit nebusiness.co.uk tomorrow.