1.1, Founders preparing a sale
“We have one chance to sell this business. We want the price and the buyer right.”
Owners of companies worth £10m to £250m, usually two to three years out.
Regulation
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference 1184206
Dubai office regulated by the DFSA, licence F012847. Member of the Northgate Advisory Network.
Since
2009
Partners
4
Offices
London, Dubai
Who we serve
Four kinds of client, in their own words.
1
1.2, Family businesses planning succession
“The next generation wants in, and the family does not agree on what it is worth.”
Second and third generation owners, often with shareholders outside the business.
1.3, Boards raising equity or debt
“We need capital to grow, without giving away control or signing terms we regret.”
Private companies raising £5m to £75m.
1.4, Acquirers and investors
“We are buying a company. We need to know what we are really paying for.”
Trade buyers, family offices and private equity funds.
What we do
Five services, each led by a named partner.
Note
Led by
Mergers and acquisitions
Selling or buying a company, from preparation to completion.
2.1
Eleanor Hart
6 to 12 months
Corporate finance
Raising equity or debt, and refinancing on better terms.
2.2
Daniel Okafor
4 to 9 months
Due diligence
Financial due diligence and quality of earnings, for buyers and sellers.
2.3
Priya Raman
3 to 8 weeks
Outsourced CFO
A senior finance lead for reporting, forecasts and the board pack.
2.4
Tom Whitcombe
Monthly
Strategy and performance
Pricing, margins and an operating plan the board can track.
2.5
Tom Whitcombe
6 to 10 weeks
Eleanor Hart
Managing PartnerSale mandates for founder owned companies
Daniel Okafor
Partner, Corporate financeGrowth equity, debt and refinancing
Priya Raman
Partner, Due diligenceQuality of earnings and buy side diligence
Tom Whitcombe
Partner, Outsourced CFOBoard reporting, forecasts and operating plans
How we work
What happens after you call.
4
- 4.1Week 1
A first meeting, with no fee
You meet the partner who would lead the work. We tell you plainly what we think, including when the answer is to wait.
- 4.2Week 2
Scope and fee in writing
A fixed fee or a success fee, agreed before any work starts.
- 4.3Months 1 to 9
The work, partner led
A partner and a team of three, with a written update every Friday.
- 4.412 months after
Completion, and the year after
We stay through the first year, so the plan holds once the deal is done.
Sale of a founder owned logistics group to a listed buyer
11.4x
EBITDA, nine months from mandate to completion. Led by Eleanor Hart.
Refinancing a boutique hotel group across three cities
£46m
refinanced, with the term extended from three years to seven. Led by Daniel Okafor.
Client names withheld. Cases are shown with each client’s written permission.
The record, for the year to 31 December
Note
2025
2024
Mandates completed
5.3
18
14
Capital raised for clients, £m
5.4
86
61
Enterprise value advised, £m
5.5
264
192
Average weeks from mandate to completion
5.6
34
41
Outsourced CFO clients at year end
5.7
22
17
Clients who came back, %
5.8
94
91
Source: Ordway engagement records for the years to 31 December 2025 and 2024, reviewed by Harcourt Pell LLP. Enterprise value is the total value of completed transactions we advised on.
Next step
Speak to the partner who would run your work.
We reply within one working day, Monday to Friday.
7
London
21 Carver Lane
London EC2V 6DN
Dubai
Level 9, Gate Village 3
Dubai, UAE