Corporate finance: Midlands boutiques on the up

Corporate financiers interested in spreading their wings beyond the City of London may like to become acquainted with two up and coming boutiques in the Midlands.

Yesterday the Financial Times highlighted the success of Birmingham based boutiques Catalyst and ClearWater Corporate Finance. It said that last year Catalyst advised on seven deals worth a total of 600m, while Clearwater advised on the likes of the 84m disposal of Leicester-based shoe retailer Stead & Simpson.

By building a name in provincial mid-market M&A, it said Catalyst and Clearwater have impinged on territory previously held by the big four accountancy firms.

Catherine Atkin, marketing manager for Catalyst, told eFinancialCareers.com that the firm is hiring for its Birmingham office, and would be interested in receiving applications from staff currently working in investment banks in the City. "It's a completely different environment here," she says. "If you join here at a junior level, it will not just be about deal execution - we encourage all our people to go out and originate deals and maximise opportunities for the firm. We offer very wide-ranging roles."

Clearwater were unable to find anyone to comment on their own north-of-England hiring aspirations. However, for London-based corporate financiers eager to stay closer to home, the firm is advertising positions in its London office via its website.