Read the full AAB Corporate Finance H1 2026 review AAB’s Corporate Finance team has completed 59 transactions with a combined value in excess of £400m in the first half of 2026, the strongest six-month period in terms of transaction volume completed in the team’s history. The deals span…
News16th Jul 2026
AAB’s Corporate Finance team has completed 59 transactions with a combined value in excess of £400m in the first half of 2026, the strongest six-month period in terms of transaction volume completed in the team’s history.
The deals span a broad range of sectors, from professional services, industrial and manufacturing, through to health and social care, energy and infrastructure, TMT, reflecting the breadth of the team’s expertise across sell-side and buy-side M&A, and transaction support.
Gordon Steele, Head of Corporate Finance at AAB, said:
“This has been a strong, consistently active first half, and it reflects real momentum across our Corporate Finance team and the confidence our clients and referrers place in us. Completing 59 transactions worth over £400m, split evenly across sell-side and buy-side M&A, and spanning eight sectors, confirms our position as one of the UK’s most active and trusted corporate finance advisers.”
“The integration of GS Verde following their June rebrand has been a real success, strengthening our team and creating a broader, advisory offering across Wales, the South West and the wider AAB group.”
“We have also completed the acquisition of O’Connor Pyne & Co and Kreston Reeves, extending our footprint into Ireland and South East England and taking our Corporate Finance headcount from 25 to 43 advisers. Integration work is now underway, and we look forward to bringing the team fully into AAB over the coming months.”
“Notable market dynamics include that buyers and sellers are rewarding preparation over speculation. Well-run, resilient businesses are transacting despite a challenging economic backdrop, AI is reshaping business models and diligence processes, and more family businesses are turning to M&A as part of their growth strategy.”
“That combination, scale, sector depth, and now a demonstrable national footprint, gives us real momentum into H2. Our pipeline remains strong, our regional teams are performing at a high level, and we’re targeting continued growth: extending our reach further, deepening our sector expertise, and backing ambitious businesses at every stage of their journey.”
“The results come amid strong performance across AAB’s regional hubs, with teams reporting steady deal flow despite a challenging macroeconomic backdrop. North Scotland completed 12 transactions in H1, up from 9 in the same period last year, while the team in Northern Ireland, ranked by Experian as the region’s most active M&A adviser, have advised on 9 transactions. Yorkshire and the North of England saw strong international buyer interest, with deals involving NYSE-listed Arthur J. Gallagher & Co and French-headquartered Calico IIM.”
“We’re proud of what the team has achieved in H1, and genuinely excited about what the rest of the year will bring.”
Blog16th Dec 2024
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By James Pirrie, Ian Bremner, Lauren McCluskey, Paula Fraser, Alasdair Green, Andrew Dines, David Purse, Alan Campbell, Neil Robb, Gordon Steele and Louise McCosh
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