RG Corporate Finance (RGCF) has been named Corporate Finance Advisory Firm of the Year at the 2026 Insider North East Dealmakers Awards, as the business marks its 15th anniversary and another record year.
The Newcastle-headquartered, national corporate finance boutique received the award at a ceremony held at Hilton Newcastle Gateshead on 24 September, recognising a 12-month period in which RGCF advised on a wide range of significant transactions involving UK and international buyers.
Recent transactions completed by RGCF include advising the shareholders of Team Valley-based JR Holland Food Services on its sale to San Francisco food technology business GrubMarket, the US group’s first UK acquisition. RGCF also advised London-based employment services and skills provider Get Set UK on its sale to international public service programme provider Palladium.
The firm has also recently advised the senior leadership team of Leeds-based workforce management and compliance specialist Nutral on a seven-figure management buyout. Funded by NEL Fund Managers, the deal saw founders Alex Gosney and Ben Wardleworth secure full ownership of Nutral following the exit of Human Capital Investment Group.
The significant M&A activity spans sectors in which RGCF has significant specialist knowledge and credentials, including human capital, technology, professional services, industrials and healthcare. The firm, which provides M&A, Financial & Tax DD and Transactional Tax advice, combines that sector focus with extensive buyer and target company research, identifying organisations whose strategic priorities, capabilities and appetite make them credible potential acquirers, or targets. This approach has helped RGCF connect UK businesses with buyers and investors from the US, mainland Europe and other international markets, whilst helping identify suitable off-market acquisition targets for acquisitive clients.
Carl Swansbury, Partner and Head of Corporate Finance at RGCF, said: “We have had a phenomenal 12 months, advising on a number of large and complex domestic and cross-border transactions. To win this award in our 15th anniversary year is brilliant recognition for every member of the team and the focus, hard work and commitment they bring to delivering the best possible outcomes for our clients.
“Completing another record year fee income and EBITDA-wise makes the award particularly significant. It reflects the trust placed in us by our clients and professional friends, and the strength and depth of the team we have built.”
RGCF was founded by Carl in 2011 and has grown into a 22-strong, full-service corporate finance advisory business. It supports ownermanaged businesses, private equity and sponsor-backed companies, family offices, corporates and management teams on company sales and acquisitions, equity and debt raising, refinancing, management buyouts and buyins, along with the provision of strategic advice.
Carl added: “Our sector knowledge and heavily invested research capabilities are central to the way we approach a transaction. We invest time in understanding where the strongest strategic fit exists and in finding the right potential strategic buyers, financial investors or acquisition targets, wherever they are based. The international reach we have due to our inhouse research capabilities and being a member firm within Prime Global, one of the world’s largest associations of independent accounting and business advisory firms, helps us create highly competitive processes for our clients, whilst ensuring the right motivated, strategic partner, or custodian is found. “The macroeconomic and geopolitical market has remained volatile and uncertain, which makes this recognition even more rewarding. We are proud to have built a nationally active and internationally connected corporate finance advisory boutique from the North East, and we remain very ambitious about the next stage of RGCF’s growth.”
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