Simon Blake Author Bio

Simon’s professional experience

A chartered accountant and qualified corporate financier, Simon has over 28 years’ experience advising clients on corporate finance matters, speaking at events and contributing to articles, reports and other thought-leadership content. Simon began his career at Price Bailey and qualified with the firm before joining London-based UK200 member firm, Haslers, achieving partnership in 2004 as one of the firms’ youngest partners. He returned to Price Bailey in 2009 and built the Strategic Corporate Finance team which he continues to lead today.

In addition to his corporate finance experience, Simon is a highly experienced Chairman and Director, having held numerous positions for both private and not-for-profit organisations. Including Price Bailey, his current positions include Chairman of Dolce Limited, Home for Good and Sanctuary Foundation, and a Director of both Lambs Passage Holding Limited and an employee ownership trust (EOT). He recently retired as Chair of Trustees of Stewardship and continues to act as Board Observer for Kingdom Bank, whose acquisition by Lambs Passage Holdings Ltd., Simon led in 2020. Most recently, following Price Bailey’s strategic partnership with the Commonwealth Enterprise & Investment Council (CWEIC) in November 2022, Simon was asked to become a member of the CWEIC’s Global Advisory Council and has been involved in numerous international conferences with the organisation since.
More about Simon.

Published Content

A specialist adviser for owner managed businesses from a strategy, growth and corporate finance perspective, Simon’s specialist topics include domestic and international M&A; employee ownership; identifying and sourcing funding requirements for growth acquisition and re-finance; company valuations  for both M&A and tax purposes; succession; and forensic work. He is an expert witness and has been called to court to provide his impartial expert opinion on matters relating to forensic accounting disputes and valuations for both the High Court in the UK and overseas courts.

Combining his expert knowledge, years of experience involved in international business development in Europe, the US, the Middle East and Africa, and his own interests in social impact, Simon is regularly involved in content that considers how current changes in the economic, political and social environment may impact owner managers.

Publications, coverage and speaker events

Simon is well-known in the industry and has regularly been quoted by numerous media outlets such as the Financial Times discussing the latest trends for Employee Ownership and other business and regional press commenting on the impact of current events on owner-managed business performance, valuation and M&A attractiveness. He has also been invited to talk on broadcast media and has featured in the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) Corporate Financier magazine. He is a regular speaker, host and Chairperson at international conferences for member organisations including IAPA, the BVCA | British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association and UK200Group discussing the latest in valuation trends, exit planning and acquisitive growth.

Qualifications

• FCA
• CF

Featured in

• Financial Times – UK businesses turn to employee-ownership at record rates
• Financial Times – Would you sell your business to your staff?
• The Times (Online) – Company founders see benefit of transferring shares to staff
• The Times (Online) – Don’t just work for your company, own it too through an employee ownership trust
• Cambridgeshire Chamber – The Chancellor’s 2023 Spring Budget highlights
• AccountingWEB (US) – Minimum wage rise adds to struggling business burdens
• Small Business UK – Pros and cons of employee ownership trusts (EOTs)
• Credit Protection Association – Business news 27 June 2022
• Cambridge Network – Price Bailey form partnership with the (CWEIC)
• uk200group – Many SMEs Worth Half Their Owners’ Expectations
• uk200group – Why you should be talking about acquisitions
• uk200group – Recovery makes exit a realistic possibility