Once a month you will find Stevens & Bolton partner Nick Atkins at the University of Surrey, hosting start-up clinics with budding entrepreneurs. The advice is provided pro bono but the logic is that one day, these businesses will flourish into busy, successful enterprises. With a client base that already includes tech companies looking to invest, Atkins is primed to support these fast-growth businesses, while also working with private equity houses and global corporates on M&A deals and fundraisings.
Over the past year, the Guildford-based partner has advised German group Drees & Sommer on its purchase of UK construction consultancy AA Projects, as well as Spanish private equity house EfectoLed on its acquisition of Lyco Group. On the tech side, he has spearheaded multiple fundraisings and a recent debt raise for augmented reality business Immersive Gamebox.
But it’s the non-deal work that could be the most transformative for Atkins’ practice. He’s heavily involved in Stevens & Bolton’s recently-launched CoSec service that provides secretarial support to clients for an annual subscription. With more than 100 companies signed up, this is a handy proposition for private companies needing top-notch advice.