Posted: 1 July 2022

Peter Barkley named Rising Star in North West Rainmaker Awards

We are delighted to report that Peter Barkley, who heads our Manchester office, has won the Rising Star category in the North West Rainmaker Awards. Organised by TheBusinessDesk.com, the fiercely fought awards celebrate the work of individuals and teams in the region’s corporate finance sector.

Peter was up against some stiff competition but was a worthy winner. Since joining us in 2019, he has established WestBridge as a key player in the region.  He has executed a number of key transactions, including the MBO of Aptus and our £46.5m acquisition of Eque2, one of our largest deals to-date.  In his role as a director at Stockport-headquartered APEM, he has overseen transformational growth, guiding the business through three acquisitions.

When we took the decision to open a Manchester office, it was with the intention of becoming a true local player. Peter has worked diligently to expand our network of trusted advisors and is a real advocate for the north west.

Peter has wisdom and maturity beyond his years. As well as possessing strong commercial acumen, he is a strategic thinker with an acute eye for detail and rigorous approach to financial analysis. When faced with challenges, he has an instinctive ability to identify and communicate solutions that are acceptable to all parties involved, which is quite an asset in our industry! His strong investor skills combine with his ability to step above individual deals to look at the bigger picture and appreciate the opportunities and challenges of managing a private equity firm. 

He is very much a team player who is focused on putting the best team on the pitch and not pushing for individual success at the expense of others.  He is a highly valued member of our team, a core part of our DNA and very much a future industry leader.

We are all delighted that he has been recognised in this way.