Paul Jones honoured at Dealmakers 2025

Our Manchester team has triumphed at the 2025 North West Dealmakers Awards, securing two prestigious awards that underscore the firm’s continued leadership and expertise in dealmaking in the region.

Paul Jones, Partner was named Dealmaker of the Year, recognising a career-defining 12 months in which he led some of the North West’s most complex and high-profile transactions. These included the sale of Kirintec to BAE Systems and the sale of BGEN to M Group Services. With over 30 years of experience, Paul was celebrated as a cornerstone of the Manchester dealmaking community.

"I am delighted to receive Dealmaker recognition at the Insider Awards. The past year has been a standout year for dealmaking, and I'm grateful to our clients and colleagues for their trust and support."

In addition, the investment in fulfilmentcrowd by Palatine Private Equity was awarded Deal of the Year (£10m–£50m). The transaction stood out for its regional significance: fulfilmentcrowd is a fast-growing, ecommerce-driven business based in Chorley, backed by North West funders on both entry and exit, and executed by a team of local advisers. The deal exemplifies the strength of regional investment in driving global growth.

Our team also celebrated the recognition of rising talent, with George Bullivant, Associate Director in the Manchester team, highly commended by the judging panel for Emerging Dealmaker of the Year after advising on four landmark deals during the qualifying period.

Mark Taylor, UK CEO:

“These awards are a testament to the depth of talent and commitment across our Manchester team. I have worked with Paul for many years, he is an outstanding dealmaker and has led some of Clearwater’s most significant transactions – his recognition is richly deserved. We’re proud to see George’s achievements acknowledged too, the future of dealmaking is in great hands. A great night for our team in the North West – well done all.”

Paul Jones, Partner:

“I am delighted to receive Dealmaker recognition at the Insider awards. The past year has been a standout year for dealmaking, and I’m grateful to our clients and colleagues for their trust and support. These awards reflect the strength of our team and the quality of the work we deliver together.”