News and Events

Evolution Securities Limited acted as Joint Broker and Nominated Adviser
to a £46.6m placing for Nautical Petroleum plc (AIM: NPE)


Evolution acted as Joint Broker and Nominated Adviser to Nautical Petroleum, an AIM listed exploration and production company focused on the UK Continental Shelf and Europe, in relation to a Placing of 37.28m new and existing shares to raise £46.6m for Nautical Petroleum.

•  The Placing comprised:

   24.28m new ordinary shares to raise £30.35m, representing approximately    
   27.7 per cent. of the enlarged share capital immediately following Admission.

   13m existing ordinary shares from International Energy Group (IEG) to raise
   £16.25m. IEG will hold approximately 5 percent of the enlarged share capital of
   the company immediately following the Placing, down from 27.5 per cent.
   beforehand.

•  Placing Price of 125 pence per ordinary share represents a discount of 17.2
   per cent., to the closing middle market price of 151 pence per ordinary share on 27
   August 2010.

• Net proceeds of the Placing to be used to accelerate the company's appraisal and
  exploration activities, and to provide funding for new ventures and licence rounds.

Evolution Securities Limited Appointed Broker to Speedy Hire plc

Evolution Securities Limited is pleased to announce its appointment as Broker to Speedy Hire plc.

Speedy Hire is the leading UK provider of equipment rental and support services to a wide range of clients across the construction, infrastructure, industrial, manufacturing and facilities management sectors. It has a market cap of £119 million.

Evolution Securities Limited acted as Sole Book Runner and
Financial Adviser to a £42.5m Placing for Circle Oil plc (AIM:COP)


Evolution acted as Sole Book Runner and Financial Adviser in relation to a Placing to raise $65 million (£42.5m) for Circle Oil, an international oil & gas exploration, development and production company with an expanding portfolio of assets focused on the MENA region.

• Placing of 141,666,667 new ordinary shares at a price of 30 pence per share to
  raise gross proceeds of approximately $65 million, representing approximately
  25.4% of the enlarged share capital immediately following Admission.

• Placing Price represents a discount of 6.25 per cent. to the closing middle market
  price of 32 pence per ordinary share on 2 August 2010.

• Net proceeds of the Placing to be used to accelerate the company's exploration
  activities, to fund capital expenditure in Morocco and Egypt, and to provide funding
  for new ventures in the company's core locations.

to a £22m Placing and Admission to AIM for Argos Resources Ltd (AIM:ARG)

Evolution acted as Nominated Adviser and Broker to Argos Resources Ltd in connection with a Placing and Admission to AIM of 216,113,205 ordinary shares of 2 pence each, at a price of 31 pence per share, giving a market cap of £67 million on Admission.

Placing Summary

• Placing of 70,967,742 new ordinary shares at a price of 31 pence per share to raise gross proceeds of approximately £22 million.
• Net proceeds of the Placing to be used principally to finance a 3D seismic programme.

                               Evolution acted as financial adviser to FuturaGene Plc
                                in connection with a recommended all cash offer by
                                                      scheme of arrangement

Evolution acted as financial adviser to FuturaGene Plc in connection with its recommended acquisition by Suzano Trading Limited (“Suzano”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Suzano Papel e Celulose, by a Scheme of Arrangement. The Scheme became effective on 13 July 2010.
The total consideration paid by Suzano was £59.2milion, equivalent to 90p per share, and represented:

- A premium of 7.1 per cent. to the Closing Price of 84 pence per FuturaGene Share on 22 February 2010, the last business day prior to the announcement that FuturaGene had received an approach which may lead to an offer; and

- A premium of 35.3 per cent. to the Closing Price of 66.5 pence per FuturaGene Share on 12 May 2010, the last business day prior to the announcement of the bid terms.

                             Evolution Securities Limited acted as Co-Manager
                                    to a £707m placing for Vallar PLC (VAA.L)


Evolution acted as Co-Manager with Liberum Capital for Vallar PLC in connection with a placing to raise £707 million by the issue of 70.7 million ordinary shares at an issue price of £10 per share.

• Vallar is a new company set up to acquire mining assets

• Vallar is managed by Nathaniel Rothschild and James Campbell

• Net proceeds of the placing will be used to acquire a single major company,
  business or asset that has significant operations in the global metals, mining and
  resources sector

• Credit Suisse acted as Global Coordinator and Joint Bookrunner

• J P Morgan acted as Joint Bookrunner

• Evolution and Liberum acted as Co-Managers

Appointment of Steve Bartlett as head of private company and private equity coverage

Evolution Group, one of the UK’s leading independent investment banks, announces the appointment of Steve Bartlett, who joins the corporate finance team as head of private company and private equity coverage, with immediate effect. Steve will be responsible for leading Evolution's growing focus on private companies and the private equity market. Steve will report to Garry Levin, Evolution's head of the corporate finance division.

This important appointment marks Evolution's recognition of the strategic importance of the private equity market, private company M&A and the opportunities that exist for Evolution to bring a new approach to this market.

Steve has 20 years experience as an advisor, focussing on private company M&A and private equity, and is a chartered accountant. Most recently, Steve operated his own advisory practice. Prior to that, Steve spent five years in the London Corporate Finance team of BDO LLP where he was a partner . Before that, he worked at Phoenix Equity Partners and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Steve has spent most of his career focused on private equity, either selling businesses for private equity houses, advising them on investments or helping management teams raise funds or complete management buy-outs.

Steve has advised on a range of transactions including: Cath Kidston, Racal Acoustics, Hydrasun, Musto and The Groucho Club.

Announcing the appointment, Evolution Group Chief Executive, Alex Snow, said:

“Steve’s appointment is a new direction for Evolution and marks a real ambition to establish a new and meaningful presence in the private company and private equity mid-market. This is an area of the market which has historically not been a focus for Evolution, but we recognise the potential to bring together our existing activities and relationships with his personal sector expertise and experience. This will generate real value and deal opportunities in the market.”

10 June 2010 

Evolution Securities Limited Appointed Joint Broker to European Goldfields Limited

European Goldfields Limited is an AIM Listed, £724m market cap, developer-producer with 10 million ounces of gold reserves located within the European Union. The Company has a cash-flow positive operating mine in Greece is developing 3 significant gold and base metal deposits in Greece and Romania. The Company plans to build on its operating assets by expanding current mining operations, bringing development projects on stream and conducting an aggressive exploration program during 2010.
 

2 June 2010


Evolution Securities Limited Appointed Joint Broker to Bodycote plc

Evolution Securities Limited (“Evolution”) is pleased to announce its appointment as Joint Broker, together with Credit Suisse, to Bodycote plc.

Bodycote is the world’s largest and most respected provider of thermal processing services; it operates an international network of facilities, serving a wide range of industries including aerospace, defence, automotive, power generation, oil and gas, construction, machine building, medical and transportation. It has a market cap of c. £380 million.

Appointment of Nick Searle as Head of Mid and Small Cap Sales

Evolution Securities Ltd (“Evolution”), one of the UK’s leading independent investment banks, is pleased to announce the appointment of Nick Searle as the Head of Mid and Small Cap Sales, with effect from July 2010. Nick will report to John Mennis, Head of Sales at Evolution.

Nick Searle joins Evolution from Oriel Securities where he had been a Senior Salesperson.  He will work alongside Fergus Marcroft and Tim Olivier as well working closely with the mid cap analysts team led by James Wheatcroft.  

Nick’s appointment follows that of Garry Levin as the Head of Corporate Finance for Evolution.

Rupert Fraser, Head of Equity Markets, said: