Major 2016 deals help MMS jump a position in Experian’s 2016 Scottish M&A rankings

Maclay Murray & Spens LLP (MMS) jumped a place in the list of Scotland’s top dealmakers, with work on two of the biggest acquisitions of 2016 helping to cement its position as the only Scottish-headquartered firm in the top five.

MMS moved up to second place in the “deals by volume” category in the Scottish rankings of Experian’s UK M&A review, up from third in 2015, after advising on 18 mergers or acquisitions last year.

Two of the top ten Scottish M&A deals by value last year were MMS deals – the £355 million Clyde Windfarm acquisition, and the £261 million recommended takeover of British Polythene Industries.

MMS partner and head of capital markets, Brian Moore said: “We are pleased to remain the only Scottish firm among the top five dealmakers north of the border, and to have once again made an important contribution to the Scottish economy.

“The fact that we actually moved up a place from our previous excellent position is testament to the quality and quantity of the transactional work the firm has handled in the last 12 months.”

MMS was one of only three firms to have reported more than ten completed M&A deals in Scotland last year, and advised on more deals than the fourth and fifth placed firms put together.