About the deal
Birmingham-headquartered Vine, with a network of over 10 offices across the UK, manages £2.7bn of assets including retail, industrial and office property. Fisher German specialises in commercial, rural and residential property as well as development, utilities and sustainable energy and has a network of 16 offices across England. The combination of the two companies will form a £41m turnover multi-discipline group with 26 offices.
As part of the deal, Vine co-founder James Rigby will join Fisher German as a partner. He commented “We have watched the impressive and sustained growth of Fisher German over recent years and believe that by coming together we will equal more than the sum of our parts. The merger will mean we can offer a whole new range of services to existing clients of both companies, and also attract fresh clients with an expanded expertise in new areas.”
Partner Simon Ward and Manager Matthew Guest advised the shareholders of Vine on the transaction. Simon Ward commented “We were engaged by Vine to find them the right partner to support the company’s next stage of growth. Vine is an outstanding player in its field and Fisher German represents a strong strategic and cultural fit – we are delighted to have delivered the transaction on behalf of the partners of Vine.”
How we made a difference
- Worked with the partners over several years to position the business;
- Identified and engaged with a number of strategic acquirers;
- Managed a competitive sales process, obtaining a number of competitive offers; and
- Project managed the process throughout to maximise value and achieve a successful completion.
James Rigby, Senior Partner - Vine Property Management
Finding the right partner for Vine was critical for me and my fellow partners. The Springboard team worked with us to understand our requirements in depth and ensure that we achieved the right deal with the best acquirer for all the stakeholders in Vine. Springboard did a great job in delivering expert and pragmatic advice throughout what was a new process for us.
