Guy Hemington is Mr February for the second of the 2018 Assay Team member interviews. Guy is a partner at Assay based in our Birmingham office.

 

Tell us about how 2017 went for you.

Very well, some good completions and investing activities and above all merging into Assay Corporate Finance and therefore IMAP which has already produced positive results.

 

What can people expect from Assay in 2018?

More of the same, quality advice, international transactions, increasing activity with IMAP and a higher profile for a larger firm.

 

What deal are you most proud of?

In recent times probably the sale of an engineering business, we were asked to find a buyer by its four retiring owners but were told we couldn’t speak to any of the obvious buyers! After two rounds of failed marketing we had a chance meeting with a P/E house, and the deal which was never going to be a P/E deal due to lack of management became exactly that.

 

What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you on a transaction recently?

Probably turning up at a first meeting and being told by the Managing Director that we were not needed as the deal had been agreed! The owner saw it differently and what followed was six months of hard slog. The MD often apologised for that first comment!

 

Do you have an industry focus or speciality?

Not really, but being in the West Midlands I’ve worked in the industrial markets and support services areas quite a lot.

 

What non work related achievement are you most proud of?

Probably supporting and guiding my daughter pretty much single handed from sixth form dropout to 2:1 from a Russell Group University.

 

What’s the first thing you would do if you won the lottery tomorrow?

Top up funding in the charity I’m a trustee of in Cambodia.

 

Who would you say is your hero?

Dave Gilmour. He revolutionised the way the electric guitar was played and is responsible for some of the instrument’s most beautiful solos.

 

What’s the worst job you have ever done?

Probably when I was a ward orderly cleaning in a hospital. I did it for four summers as a student.

 

What is your favourite food or restaurant?

For the all-round experience, Michelin starred Simpsons in Edgbaston but I am equally happy with a good local Indian restaurant.

 

When you are not at Assay what do you like to do to relax?

I play quite a lot of tennis and racquetball, I’m a trustee of a local theatre so spend quite a lot of time there, I play guitar in a rock band plus enjoy a fair bit of socialising with friends.

 

Tell us something about yourself that people would be surprised about.

I once sailed from the Philippines to Hong Kong in a 40 ft sailing yacht, at the start I had no idea what I was doing, four days later when we arrived I could helm the boat and definitely tie a bowline!

 

Get in touch with Guy by calling him on 0121 200 3803 or emailing him at ghemington@assayadvisory.com.