Castle Square Corporate Finance enjoyed one of the standout nights at the South Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards 2026.

The firm was named Corporate Finance Advisory Team of the Year, with the judges recognising a record year and £110m of value-enhancing deals across the Yorkshire region. Castle Square also advised on the Deal of the Year (£10m+), the £13m refinance and development capital raise by The Pet Vet, and was involved in several other shortlisted and winning transactions.

The individual awards made the evening even more memorable. Brad Green was named Dealmaker of the Year, described by the judges as a “star in the South Yorkshire deals community”, while Joseph Potts won Emerging Dealmaker of the Year, recognised for complex transaction work, client leadership and commercial insight.

Having been in the room to see how warmly the awards were received, we wanted to spend some time with Brad and Joe to reflect on Castle Square’s year, the strength of the South Yorkshire deals market, and what comes next for the firm and the region.

What a night for Castle Square, and for you both personally. Many congratulations. Why has it been such a successful year for the firm, and what made it such a special evening?

Brad Green

Thank you! It was a special evening for us.

Each and every deal we advised upon which led to a successful outcome feels like a highlight, particularly when you see the real-life impact it has on shareholder/management teams on completion and beyond.

One of the key reasons for such a successful year was the graft put in by the entire team. We are very lucky to have a team who truly work for one another, take on new challenges whenever presented with the opportunity, and who consistently go above and beyond for our clients.

On a personal level, the individual award meant a lot, particularly when I consider the excellent operators I was nominated alongside and the impressive individuals who have received it before me. No deal ever gets done by one person, but it is still very nice to be recognised by the market. I was also delighted for Joe who has worked tirelessly and deserves all the recognition he gets.

The reaction and feedback we received in the room was one of the nicest parts of the evening. It felt like people were genuinely pleased for us, and I think that reflects the relationships we’ve built in the market.

South Yorkshire is a close-knit deal community. People know each other, work together regularly, and I’d like to think we’ve built a reputation for being commercial and straightforward people who are good to deal with.

‍Joseph Potts

The most memorable deal of the year was probably the one that didn't actually win – the fundraise and partial buy-out of Castings Technology. It was a complex transaction where we were up against the clock, but completing it in mid-2025 and helping such a great company made it a real highlight.

Other highlights included celebrating our record year and hosting our network at Forum in Sheffield.

For me personally, being promoted to Manager in early 2026 was also a significant professional milestone.

It is incredibly gratifying to be recognised amongst the South Yorkshire dealmaking community. There are some excellent firms in the region, and South Yorkshire certainly punches well above its weight in terms of both the number and size of deals completed. That is a testament to the quality of the advisory firms here. To be shortlisted is an achievement in itself, but to go on and win against such strong competition is especially pleasing.

We put a tremendous amount of effort into building and maintaining our network across the region and beyond. The warmth we felt is absolutely a reflection of that. Friendly competition is the right phrase to use for the region, we each make each other better, but also help one another where we can which is good to see.

Castle Square was recognised across team, individual and deal categories. What do you think that says about the way the firm has evolved?

Brad Green

I think it shows the firm has come a long way.

The team recognition probably meant the most, because it reflected what everyone has contributed. Corporate finance can sometimes look like it is about the people fronting the deal, but the reality is there is a huge amount of work behind the scenes. There is analysis, buyer research, valuation, document prep, project management and a lot of problem-solving. Everyone has played their part.

Over the last few years, I think we’ve grown in confidence and capability within the team. We’ve always had a strong technical base and a very hands-on approach, but the size and complexity of the work we’re doing has definitely increased these last few years.

I also think it’s important to say that Castle Square has not been built overnight. Everyone who has been part of the Castle Square Corporate Finance team over the last decade has played a role in building the brand and taking it to where it is today. We are benefiting from a lot of hard work that has gone in over many years, and our challenge now is to build on that properly and carry it forward.

Kev Shaw remains a huge part of that. As managing director and founder, he is still very active in the market, still winning plenty of work and still a massive source of corporate finance knowledge for the team. A lot of what we do, and how we approach clients and transactions, has been shaped by Kev.

We also have real strength beyond South Yorkshire. Rob Burton and the West Yorkshire-based team are doing excellent work in Leeds and continue to build our presence and reputation there. That wider regional platform is a big part of how the firm has evolved and I am looking to build on that with my recent move over the Pennines into Manchester, expanding our presence across the wider North West as well – very exciting times.

‍Joseph Potts

There has been a marked change since COVID in recruitment and development of staff, I think Kev will testify that this is one of the best teams he has ever had. We’re a small team with not much place for hiding, and this has created a culture where even the more junior staff are highly involved and invested in a transaction and creates momentum in getting it over the line.

Over the past few years we have seen a change in recruitment. We are much more selective and focussed on candidates who will likely see the opportunity for progression here and stay with us for the long-term. To do this, we’ve tended to take the proactive approach of hiring when we see a good candidate, rather than being reactive and hiring when we need it from a small talent pool.

This has meant we now have a strong team supporting management and the partners on deal execution, whilst they are focussed on BD.

Clients want you to be on the end of the phone day or night and to feel like they are your only client. This is true now more than ever, in a world of disinformation and scaremongering, a client wants to be able to pick up the phone to you and be reassured.

Clients also want that personal touch and to know you are not just a name behind the screen, you are a face and voice. That’s what Castle Square does exceptionally well and is definitely a key pillar to our success.

It felt like one of the best-attended South Yorkshire Dealmakers events, with a strong quality of firms, advisers and transactions on the shortlist. What does that say about South Yorkshire’s deal market over the past year?

Brad Green‍

I think it shows that the South Yorkshire market is stronger than people sometimes give it credit for.

There has been a lot going on. The wider market hasn’t been easy, with interest rates, inflation, political noise, conflict, and general uncertainty, but good businesses have still been transacting. South Yorkshire has a lot of excellent privately owned businesses, and a lot of them are resilient, well-managed and genuinely attractive to buyers and funders. We are being consistently inundated by investors from all corners of the world, to ensure they are getting sight of our local mandates.

We’ve seen activity across a range of sectors - healthcare, manufacturing, engineering and business services to name a few, and management buy-outs are returning on trend.

South Yorkshire has a much stronger dealmaking community than it is sometimes given credit for, underpinned by high-quality private businesses, active funders and advisers, the Advanced Manufacturing Park, the universities and a deep engineering, healthcare, technology and manufacturing base. It is a region with real depth, strong institutions and a collaborative market that knows how to get deals done.

‍Joseph Potts

The region has always been buoyant and strong as long as I’ve known it. There are some world-class firms here, particularly in the high-tech manufacturing space. I think this is a testament to South Yorkshire’s heritage as a world-class producer of steel. Whilst the steel industry has certainly tailed off for one reason or another, that ambition to be best in class has stayed with the people and firms here and has been cultivated exceptionally well by our world class University.

I don’t necessarily have the perception that it is underestimated, we are inundated with funds and new money wanting to get to know us so they can see our latest opportunities.

Looking ahead, what are your forecasts for the South Yorkshire and wider regional deals market over the next 12 months?

Brad Green

I’m cautiously positive.

Shareholders have for some time started waking up to the idea that waiting for macroeconomic stability could genuinely mean adding decades to succession plans. Each time we turn on the news, there is in theory another reason for a macro shock (or more commonly a political u-turn of some sort). Because of this, businesses have had to get used to operating against a backdrop of uncertainty and as such, we are seeing confidence levels increase.

Funding is available, but it is more selective in places. Lenders are still keen to support good businesses, but they are looking closely at cash generation, working capital, leverage and the quality of the management team. Alternative lenders, debt funds, and gap funders remain active in looking at what traditional clearing banks may not. Private equity is still active, but buyers are being extremely disciplined in their selectiveness and approach to diligence. Trade buyers are there for the right opportunities, particularly where there is a clear strategic rationale.

I also think the return of management buyouts and succession-led deals will continue to be a theme. There are plenty of owners who want to de-risk or step back, but who also care about what happens to the business afterwards. In this case, an MBO can be a great idea.

For business owners, our main advice would be to start preparing early. Don’t wait until you want to do something immediately. The best outcomes usually come when the business is properly prepared, the shareholders are clear on what they want, and any issues are dealt with before a buyer or funder starts looking at them. Things like working capital, earnings quality, management structure, customer concentration and the story around future growth can all make a big difference.

‍Joseph Potts

Personally, I think the last two government budgets didn’t bite as bad as expected for M and A and at the start of this year, there was a growing confidence amongst businesses. These businesses also seemed well versed and resilient in managing macro-economic shocks, given how frequent they now seem to be occurring.

However, more recently, I do think the prospective change of Labour leadership and an even further lean to the left is causing some hesitation for firms and investors. Again, we look to the Autumn budget for how badly this will bite, and hopefully an understanding that you can’t tax your way to growth.

There’s a lot of money sloshing round in the UK, and banks and debt funds are keen to get it out as they are under pressure from their investors to keep the ball rolling. You are even seeing the more conservative clearing banks coming back to the cash-flow lending market.

Add to that we are seeing a lot of micro-PE and search fund firms cropping up out of London that have a long line of money and are ready to do a deal in the regions meaning sale activity is high.

I think most CF advisors would agree deals are taking longer at the minute to get over the line. There is a lot of information at people’s fingertips now, a lot of questions to ask and box off before a deal is executed.

What comes next for Castle Square, and for you both individually?

Brad Green

For Castle Square, it’s about building on what we’ve done, whilst retaining the qualities that we pride ourselves on.

We want to keep growing, but we don’t want to become too corporate or lose the hands-on approach. The strength of the firm has always been that clients get senior, straight-forward, commercial advice from people who are properly involved in the detail. That has to stay the same.

Manchester is a big part of the next phase. We already work across the North and nationally, so it feels like a natural move for us. Manchester is one of the most active deal markets outside of London, and there are a lot of ambitious businesses, funders and advisors there. The aim is to build proper relationships in that market and show that the Castle Square approach works there too.

That said, South Yorkshire remains really important to us. It’s where the firm was born, it’s where we’ve built our reputation, and it will continue to be a core market for us.

Irrespective of where our offices are based, we pride ourselves on travelling to wherever our clients need us. Our current client list includes businesses based in Bristol, Amsterdam, and Ohio.

For me personally, the focus now is on carrying on the momentum - helping grow the firm, developing the team and continuing to win and deliver high quality work. It’s been a great year, but we’re very much focused on what comes next.

‍Joseph Potts

The obvious one is to go for Dealmaker of the Year but with the competition of the region, that should be a more medium-term goal. Personally, my goal is to continue to get as much experience leading on transactions as possible, and continuing to build on the work I have brought into Castle Square and hopefully generate much more.

I had a few deals that really should have been done in our last financial year but for one reason or another, didn’t get done. They are now lined up nicely to get over the line in H1 of our financial year and that will be my main focus.

The pipeline is as strong as ever and per my previous response, I have a few lined up to get over the line in H1. If I do that, and my team deliver on theirs, we should be on for another record year!