Athanor's philosophy is that the client should always have access to the most efficient capital structure and lowest cost of capital available at any point in the economic and business cycle. Access to both debt and equity markets is what the Directors believe makes Athanor stand out from many of its peers. Athanor’s objective is to build long-term relationships, which will enable us to provide superior value to clients.

Athanor's equity and debt teams work together to deliver the most appropriate packaged solution to a client's needs using a broad range of financing tools. The Directors believe that the clients benefit from this advice, as it can often be their most effective funding solution freeing up credit lines, overcoming a client's gearing restrictions and offering clients the opportunity to diversify their sources of funding. Ultimately the client should always have access to the most efficient capital structure and lowest cost of capital available at any point in the economic and business cycle.

Athanor is also able to provide private equity solutions designed to meet clients risk management objectives and offer alternative investment strategies through the creative application of various financial derivatives.

Equity Capital Markets

The Corporate Finance department provides small and medium sized companies with a wide range of investment banking services, from capital raising to mergers and acquisitions and restructuring services.  The team combines a breadth of experience across most industry sectors with a commitment to providing clients with appropriate solutions to their strategic problems backed by first class execution.  Athanor aims to build long term relationships with clients by providing challenging, independent advice through a continuous exchange of information and ideas.  The team has the skills and experience to advise growing companies through all stages of their corporate development, from start-up and early stage seed capital, through rounds of pre-listing private equity fund raising, to flotations on the PLUS Markets, AIM and the main market of the London Stock Exchange.

Athanor is a member of the London Stock Exchange and will apply to become a sponsor of companies on the Official List and seek Nominated Adviser and Broker status to companies seeking a listing on the Alternative Investment Market, potentially through a joint venture.

The Company is able to offer a full range of corporate finance advice and assistance, including:

• Private equity
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Flotations and secondary issues
• Public company takeovers and mergers
• Corporate strategies

Debt Capital Markets

In addition, the team's experience allows Athanor to provide a comprehensive, impartial and expert assessment of the debt financing solutions available to clients, thereby assisting them to raise debt finance on the best available terms.  Athanor provides a mixture of strategic advice, structuring advice and transaction support, aiming to ensure that the debt raising exercise best achieves the clients' objectives and does not impede deal completion or cause business disruption.  The team has many years of combined experience in the debt markets, including advising, arranging, underwriting and syndicating. The team is able to offer clients advice on:

• Debt Financing and Restructuring
• Mezzanine Finance
• Project Finance
• Convertibles
• Securitisation

The Market and Competition

There is no shortage of choice for companies that wish to appoint a UK corporate adviser. There are numerous specialist private equity boutiques, PLUS market advisers, over 80 Nominated Advisers specialising in the small to mid-cap market, and large Global Investment Banks. The majority of these offer similar services to those offered by Athanor and will be in direct competition when pitching for new corporate mandates.

However, the Directors believe that Athanor has a number of unique selling propositions that distinguish Athanor from its market competitors in the small to mid-cap arena:

1. Athanor's philosophy is that the client should always have access to the most efficient capital structure and lowest cost of capital available at any point in the economic and business cycle. In this regard, the Directors believe Athanor is better placed than many of its peers to advise clients on the structure of their financing as Athanor has the experience and in-depth knowledge to advise clients on both equity and debt financing;
   
   
2. Athanor aims to be "proactive" regarding clients' needs, by placing particular emphasis on building and sustaining close client relationships that allows them to create appropriate and innovative solutions to strategic problems, backed by first class execution from dedicated corporate finance equity and debt teams.  Athanor's clients benefit from our provision of challenging, value added advice through a constant exchange of information and ideas;
   
   
3. Most investment banks provide investor research and market making on stocks where the firm acts as the corporate adviser. Athanor believes there exists, in such firms, an inherent conflict of interest that cannot be fairly managed by the adviser. Athanor believes it provides best advice to clients as it does not, and will not, provide investor research to the market. Athanor will introduce clients to reputable independent research firms to avoid any such conflict.

The Directors believe that Athanor's ability to offer clients both equity and debt advice, its ability to be an innovative and supportive advisory partner and its commitment and integrity in working towards its clients' goals should make the Company stand out as a ‘New Generation’ investment banking house.