EMC Corporate Finance director Desmond High, based at the firm’s office in Maidstone, has been awarded the prestigious Corporate Finance (CF) Diploma by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
He is thought to be the first person in Kent and Sussex to attain the new qualification introduced by the ICAEW’s Corporate Finance Faculty to establish an international benchmark for success in corporate finance. It allows approved corporate financiers to use the letters CF after their name.
To gain the award, Desmond had to produce an extensive dossier of projects and references to demonstrate his expertise and experience in corporate finance over a 20 year period. He is one of very few people outside the City to have sufficiently impressed the awarding panel.
Desmond said: “Of course I’m delighted to have achieved this recognition. Most of my corporate finance work over the years has been for privately-owned businesses, not within the City where it can be rather detached from reality.
“I first started in corporate finance in 1986 and have always thoroughly enjoyed working on transactions, whether selling a business, advising on a buyout or raising capital. I’ve also had the opportunity to work in a management role in a number of businesses over the years as well as making personal investments, and although I’m slightly biased, I think this blend provides clients with additional value.”
Nik Askaroff, Desmond’s co-director at EMC Corporate Finance, added: “This award confirms our belief that the expertise to undertake complex transactions is not confined to London. We have always felt that the practical mix of professional expertise and management skills is a winning combination for SMEs in the South East.”
EMC, which has offices in Maidstone, Eastbourne and Crawley, is the South East’s leading interim management and corporate finance boutique. Since 1989, it has helped dozens of owners/directors to plan and achieve successful business sales, acquisitions and mergers as well as raise capital, fund debts or restructure their finances.