CMS supports Scottish dealmakers’ growth
CMS has renewed its support for Scotland’s dealmaking sector by sponsoring a key award category and joining the judging panel for this year’s Deals and Dealmakers Awards.
For the second year in a row, the firm is backing the Corporate Finance Team of the Year award. A CMS representative will also serve as a judge, drawing on the firm’s past success at these awards—both for CMS and the clients it represents—to assess this year’s entries.
The awards, now in their 25th year, celebrate companies, investors, and advisers that create value through mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate transactions. The firm’s involvement highlights its deep connections to Scotland’s dealmaking community, which has endured a challenging year.
Market contraction meets cautious optimism
Early 2022 saw strong deal activity, but momentum slowed sharply. Geopolitical tensions, rising interest rates, inflation, supply-chain disruptions, and a banking crisis all weighed on transactions. Regulators also increased scrutiny, making deals more complex.
Still, CMS expects a recovery. The firm notes that interest rates and inflation may have reached their peak, while pressure to pursue decarbonization and digital transformation is growing. Both often require mergers or acquisitions. New trends in M&A are likely to develop, and the firm plans to monitor them in its annual survey next year.
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Legal guidance for changing conditions
The firm’s Deal Deliberations program provides free resources to help businesses adjust. It covers legal aspects of deal negotiation and broader issues like technology, compliance, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors.
Topics include regulatory approvals, data protection, and environmental risks. The program aims to help companies seize opportunities while avoiding mistakes. Through the initiative, CMS brings together its considerable experience to share views and opinions on deal negotiation and other key elements that ensure transaction success.
The resources are available on its website, reinforcing its position as a forward-looking adviser for deals of all sizes.
The awards ceremony will take place later this year, with winners announced across multiple categories. The firm’s sponsorship and role on the judging panel demonstrate its ongoing support for Scotland’s dealmaking sector as it adapts to new challenges.
