Our People

Keith Benson – keith@dswcf.com

Keith joined Dow Schofield Watts as a Corporate Finance Executive in February 2012.

He initially spent 10 years working in the technology industry with 5 years managing delivery of derivative trading platforms at RBS Global Banking and Markets.

After leaving RBS Keith changed career and joined the KPMG Audit practise, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 2011.

Audit clients included BAE Systems, Daniel Thwaites, Eurogarages and Burnley Football Club.

Andy Dodd – andy@dswcf.com

Andy joined Dow Schofield Watts as a Partner in May 2003. Previously, he had spent five years in KPMG’s Corporate Finance team in Manchester advising across a wide variety of transactions and sectors.
Following graduation from Durham University and qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Andy joined KPMG Corporate Finance in 1998.

In addition to working in the Dow Schofield Watts corporate finance business, Andy now has responsibility for PHD Equity Partners working with our current investments and looking for investment opportunities in SMEs.

Most recent transaction experience includes:

Roger Esler – roger@dswcf.com

Roger joined DSW as a director with specific responsibility for the Yorkshire & the North East office and team.

Following graduation from Sheffield University and qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, Roger then gained over 20 years corporate finance experience at SG Hambros, KPMG and Deloitte. Who for over a decade worked as a partner at Deloitte with regional responsibility for PLC and debt advisory.

Extensive transacting experience in the private and public markets across a range of sectors with an aggregate completed deal value of £4.5billion, including:

Daniel Freed – daniel@dswcf.com

Daniel joined Dow Schofield Watts in February 2008.

Following graduation from the University of Manchester and a stint as a researcher and journalist for a publishing business, Daniel embarked on a career in the City of London in 2001, gaining experience in corporate finance, investment banking and private equity.

Focused on mid-market, UK and International, public and private transactions across a number of sectors including financial services, telecoms, business services, hotels & casinos and oil & gas.

Daniel is a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

Dave Graham – dave@dswcf.com

Dave joined DSW in the summer of 2007. A Chartered Accountant and a graduate of The University of Liverpool with a degree in Finance and Economics, Dave spent time in industry with the Caudwell Group working closely with the group finance director before moving to KPMG.

Since joining DSW Dave has worked on a number of high profile deals including co-leading the £40m buy-out of BAS by Bridgepoint Development Capital and the £30m disposal of PH Jones Group to British Gas.

Other notable clients include Barcrest/IGT Group (LBO and online gaming), Harrington Brooks (Financial Services), Ideal Shopping (Retail) and Daniel Contractors (Construction), as well as spending time in San Francisco working with Ove Arup on the $1 Billion Doyle Drive Project, the first public private partnership in California.

Dave is also on the team working closely with the Daresbury Innovation Centre, providing corporate finance support to a number of tenant businesses.

In addition to his demanding role at DSW, Dave has also been a volunteer business Mentor for the Princes trust for the last 7 years.

Vicky Gribben – vicky@dswcf.com

Victoria joined DSW’s Yorkshire & North East office in May 2012 with a specific focus on the South and East Yorkshire markets.

Following graduation from the University of Leicester with a Master of Science (MSc) in Finance, Victoria qualified as a Chartered Accountant and gained over 6 years Corporate Finance experience, including the last 3 years at Director Level.

Victoria was voted South Yorkshire Insider’s Young Dealmaker of the Year in 2010 and 2011 after successfully leading and completing a range of transactions in the North of England.

Most recent transaction experience includes:

Gavin Jones – gavin@dswcf.com

Gavin joined Dow Schofield Watts in January 2012 after having recently qualified as a chartered accountant.

After graduating from Warwick University in 2007, Gavin spent a year as an English teacher in South Korea, before returning to begin a career in Finance.

He worked as an auditor with Ernst & Young for over 3 years, whilst gaining his qualification, and worked with companies of varying sizes, in a number of different industries.

Key clients audited include Assura, Admiral Taverns, Georgia Pacific, Siemens, and the Tote bookmakers.

James Marshall – jmarshall@dswcf.com

James joined DSW in April 2012 as a founding member of the Leeds team.

After graduating from Newcastle University in 2008, James joined Ernst & Young where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2011.

James started in the Newcastle office of Ernst & Young spending over two and a half years working in their Audit practise. His clients comprised FTSE 250, AIM Listed and owner managed companies in a diverse range of sectors including telecoms, transportation and manufacturing.

In January 2011, James moved to Leeds to join Ernst & Young’s Transaction Advisory Service team where he specialised on advisory work, specifically business reviews, distressed disposals, options analysis and refinancing.

Tony Meakin – tony@dswcf.com

Following a degree MEng in Engineering, Economics and Management at Hertford College, Oxford, Tony then qualified as a Chartered Accountant under ICAS in 2006 with first time passes.

Prior to joining DSW in 2007, Tony spent 4 years at Ernst & Young in both Liverpool and Manchester, working both in audit and as part of the forensic team. Key clients worked with included BNFL, Leyland Trucks and Ciba Chemicals.

Over the last five years Tony’s extensive financial modelling skills and contribution have been invaluable to the following high profile transactions:

Philip Price – philip@dswcf.com

Philip joined Dow Schofield Watts as a Partner in June 2003. Previously, he had spent seven years in KPMG’s Corporate Finance team in Liverpool and Manchester advising across a wide variety of transactions and sectors.

Philip joined KPMG in Liverpool in 1993 from Liverpool John Moores University; he qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1996 and spent some time in KPMG Perth, Australia before moving into KPMG Corporate Finance in 1997.

Philip is responsible for PHD Equity Partners investment in Liberty Services.

Most recent transaction experience includes:

Craig Richardson – craig@dswcf.com

Craig joined Dow Schofield Watts as a Partner in 2006. Prior to this he spent 14 years at KPMG, undertaking corporate finance and due diligence assignments in the UK and overseas after qualifying as a chartered accountant in 2002.

In the recent North West Insider awards, Craig was voted Corporate Finance Advisor of the Year and Dealmaker of the Year in Lancashire.

Craig is responsible for PHD Equity Partners investment in Vickers Electronics.

Most recent transaction experience includes:

Ed Brentnall – ed@dswdd.com

Ed jointly heads the financial due diligence business, Dow Schofield Watts Transaction Services LLP, which he helped to establish in December 2008.

Ed qualified as a chartered accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Manchester and Minneapolis (USA) and then spent 5 years in their transaction services team. During this period Ed worked for a number of clients such as The Cooperative Group, Barcrest Ltd, JCB Ltd, William Jackson Food Group, Close Brothers Private Equity, Visage Ltd and MacQuarie Bank. Whilst working across a range of sectors, Ed focused on the Pharmacy, food manufacture and gaming sectors.

Ed’s experience covers a variety of industries and deal types: financial buy-side due diligence, financial sell-side due diligence, working capital reviews, vendor assistance, bid support and bid defence.

Since forming DSW TS, Ed has carried out the following key projects

• FDD for Gresham PE in relation to their acquisition of LAS
• Vendor assistance on behalf of Ideal Shopping Direct, subsequently acquired by Inflexion PE
• FDD on behalf of Gresham PE re their acquisition of Walker Technical Resource (now ICR) backed by HSBC; and
• The acquisition of A&P, the UK’s second largest ship repair & shipbuilder by Atlantic & Peninsular, backed by Peel Ports.
• FDD with respect to the acquisition of Kirona Ltd by LDC
• Buyside due diligence in relation to two acquisitions for The Energy Solutions Group

Catriona Lang – catriona@dswdd.com

Catriona jointly heads the financial due diligence business Dow Schofield Watts Transaction Services LLP, which she helped to establish in December 2008. She joined from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP where she qualified as a Chartered Accountant in their audit department, before spending 5 years in their Transaction Services team.

Catriona has significant experience of a variety of deal types and industries, specialising in manufacturing, media and television and service industries. Recent deals Catriona has worked on include:

• buy side due diligence on behalf of Finance Wales in relation to their investment in Medical Gas Solutions
• buy side due diligence for Infinity Asset Management LLP in relation to an aborted acquisition
• contract review analysis for BBC Worldwide and Entertainment One on a number of licensees
• buy side due diligence for a corporate in relation to their acquisition of a law firm
• cash flow review and due diligence exercise for Barclays Ventures in relation to a portfolio company, Howorth Air Technology Limited
• vendor due diligence for Halliwells in relation to their break up and sale to Hill Dickinson, HBJ Gately Wareing and Barlow Lyde & Gilbert
• buy side due diligence for Infinity Asset Management LLP and Goldshield Electronic Security Systems in relation to their acquisition of AIS Total Security

Chris Williams – chris@dswdd.com

Prior to setting up DSW TS in 2008 with Ed and Catriona, Chris started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Manchester. Staying with the firm post qualification, he spent 5 years in Guernsey and London working for a number of private equity clients before moving back to Manchester in 2006.

Chris offers experience covering a number of industry sectors – Debt management, Food manufacture, Packaging, Retail and Licensing – and a variety of differing deal types as well as FDD, such as vendor assistance and Management Information reviews . Recent transactions include:

• FDD with respect to the acquisition of Kirona Ltd by LDC
• FDD in relation to a number of debt management back books acquired by both Harrington Brooks and Money Plus Group.
• Refinancing of One Advice Group on behalf of PNC Business Credit
• Vendor assistance with Rio Tinto PLC in respect of the divestment of their international packaging operations

Julia Barnett – julia@dswdd.com

Julia joined the DSW Transaction Services team in October 2011.

She trained at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for 3 years in the audit department in London and Manchester and was involved in audits for the following clients: Shell, Samsung, Taylor Nelson Sofres, Belgravium Technologies, Mouchel.

After qualifying as a Chartered accountant in 2009, Julia joined Cowgill Holloway LLP for 2 years as an Audit Senior and then Manager leading audits on SME clients in the Construction, Plant Hire, Hotel & Leisure, Warehousing & Distribution and Pharmacy sectors.