Director of Corporate Development, responsible for M&A and development strategy across all of Co-op’s non-Food businesses including the UK’s market leading funeral business, a major general insurance business, a growing later life planning and legal services business and Co-op’s digital businesses including our online electrical retail business. Reporting to the Deputy CEO of the Group at one of the North West’s largest businesses and the UK’s largest mutual.

Part of the Consumer Services Leadership team, responsible for driving the growth and reshaping of the Consumer Services division (comprising Co-operative Funeralcare, Co-operative Insurance and Co-operative Legal Services) in line with wider Group and business level strategy. Leading on identification, evaluation and delivery of key strategic corporate development projects including financing, M&A, joint ventures, partnerships and B2B alliance opportunities.

Merger and Acquisitions Manager at the Co-operative Group leading various Corporate Finance projects. This is a senior finance role in one of the North West’s largest businesses and the UK’s largest mutual organisation. Broad M&A and corporate finance experience incorporating:- Handled the sale of the Co-operative Group’s Pharmacy business to Bestway Group for £620m (completes October 2014). This included leading the complex separation programme, negotiating the key transaction documents alongside the deal team and working closely with the financial (Rothschild and UBS), legal (Addleshaw Goddard and A&O), other advisers (EY, Grant Thornton and BCG) and management. This high profile and complex transaction reached exchange ahead of schedule and exceeded the price expectations of most commentators. This was the largest of a trio of key strategic deals delivered by the Co-operative Group M&A team in 2014.- Transaction Lead for the aborted disposal of the Co-operative's General Insurance business (CISGIL). Responsible for a multi-million pound budget and overseeing a project team of c.50. Key member of the Exec level steering committee and chair of the Programme Working Group of c.20 workstream leads and senior management. - Led end-to-end the Group's strategy to exit its loss making motor dealerships. Successfully executed seven transactions generating over £40m consideration (£10m more than expected) and avoiding redundancies. Highlights included: the pre-deal restructure and competitive auction of the Group's Land Rover dealerships, sold to Vertu Motors for £31m; and the innovative sale of the Nottingham dealership to New College Nottingham to run the site as both a commercial enterprise and a training establishment. - Involved in a number of other Group projects including managing a proposed ground-breaking capital raising exercise as well as Estates, Food and Pharmacy transactions, for example, leading the disposal of 12 petrol stations to Petrogas.

Assistant director based in Manchester in the North West transaction services team with over five years transaction experience including provision of buy side, sell side and IT due diligence. Operating across a range of industries but specialises in technology, telecommunications and consumer businesses, particularly those with significant online operations.Transaction list (selected transactions only)- Buy side diligence on the acquirer, target and enlarged group in respect of the acquisition of the Tote from the Government by Betfred. - Sell side diligence and top-up diligence on the disposal of Ufi Limited (learndirect) by the Ufi Charitable Trust to Lloyds Development Capital. - Due diligence on the Thomas Cook retail travel business in respect of the proposed merger with the Co-operative Group Limited Travel businesses. - Reporting accountants advice for Flybe for their premium listing on the LSE. - Reporting accountants advice for JJB Sports Ltd on their emergency Firm Placing, Placing and Open Offer. - Buy side diligence for ISIS EP LLP on their investment in Getting Personal Limited. Nominated for the Small Deal of the Year at the Insider North West Dealmakers of the Year awards 2010. - Sell side diligence on the disposal of Gold Medal Travel limited to Thomas Cook. - Top-up due diligence for Endless LLP on their acquisition of Crown Paints from Akzo Nobel. Nominated for the Deal of the Year at the Insider North West Dealmakers of the Year awards 2008. - Buy side diligence for C&C Group on their acquisition of Gaymers Cider Company from Constellation Europe.- Refinancing for a provider of software and services to mobile network operators.

Testing of the IBM JVM at the Java Development Centre in Hursley.