Cambridge mergers and acquisitions advisor Prism is celebrating 20 years in business.
Shortly after it was set up in 2003, Peter Watson joined after selling his instrumentation business. He acquired the firm in 2006 via an MBO.
Peter was a qualified accountant with PwC, but spent much of his career in sales, and wanted to combine his sales skills and business and financial acumen to help other owner-managers. His aim was to build a company with a personable and trusted reputation, but also to continue working directly with business owners.
Robert Fiske joined Prism in 2007, adding wide experience in consulting on strategic development and succession. He and Peter then made the strategic decision to focus on the technology sector. In 2012 Robert became a co-owner and Director of Prism.
Today, Prism Corporate Broking provides advice and support to clients going through business sales, acquisitions, valuations and more, with a strong focus on technology.
The current team also includes Jack Robinson as Corporate Finance Executive and Alison Lewis as Marketing and Research Executive. The business however remains true to Peter’s original aims, being Director-led, to ensure that all clients benefit from their collective experience and knowledge.
The team specialise in tech M&A, primarily software and IT services, but also instrumentation and environmental tech. They work with clients throughout the East of England, the UK and internationally.
Peter says, “I’m delighted with how Prism has developed over these 20 years and that we’ve maintained a highly personal service. It’s been great meeting and helping so many owner-managers through their M&A journey. I’d like to thank our many clients for trusting us to guide them to make the best decisions and achieve their goals. And of course, this would not be possible without the rest of the excellent Prism team.”
Robert adds, “The tech sector is a very interesting area to focus on as it is forever changing. Ten years ago mobile apps and cloud services were popular with acquirers. Whilst these remain attractive the market has matured and today it is cyber security, AI and green tech that are amongst the ‘hot’ areas. We look forward to seeing how the sector continues to evolve in the future.”