Dealmaking is more about sustained relationships in a tough market and less about scoring quick wins, according to corporate finance professionals from pro.manchester.

A panel of specialists from all aspects of the dealmaking world examined the changing role of the lead advisor at pro.manchester’s corporate finance discussion group last week, hosted by Halliwells LLP and sponsored by Ford Campbell.

The panel included business psychologist Hazel Carter-Showell, CEO of Envestors, Tom Wilkins, managing director of Character World, Danny Schweiger, and Ford Campbell corporate finance partner, Nathalie Blake.

Danny, whose licensed textile company completed a management buy-out led by private equity house RJD Partners, focused on the intrinsic value of deliverability in today’s market, claiming  partnership relations and trust were instrumental in the success of the deal.

Hazel Carter-Showell, from business psychologist consultancy Carter Corson, reflected on a time when dealmakers had a more ‘one night stand’ mentality, as opposed to today’s climate which is all about trust and authenticity.

Envestors’ Tom Wilkins claimed professionals have to work harder and integrity has to be core to successful dealmaking. Ford Campbell’s Nathalie Blake added to this the importance of making every meeting count and translating relationships into tangible fees.

Chair of the debate Mark Critchlow, from event sponsor Ford Campbell, asked professionals how to turn an introductory coffee into a trusting relationship. The million dollar question, which remains a key priority for Manchester’s financial and professional market, prompted attendees to lean in with pens poised.

The debate spurred a number of responses, most of which were grounded in core values like mutual benefit, the ability to understand people’s motivations and an appetite for success driven by genuine belief in long-term relationships.

This shift from the late nineties and early noughties’ confidence bordering on arrogance to a more ‘mature’ commitment to investment in valuable relationships may be the herald of a new dawn in dealmaking in Manchester.