After several years working in various corporate and professional advisory roles, Lake established PEM Corporate Finance (PEMCF) in 2004 to service PEM’s client base and introduced a dynamic new M&A advisory proposition to support owner-managed businesses across the East of England. Now nearly 20 years on, and after leading the PEMCF team for 18 years, Lake will be exiting the business as of 31 March 2023.
Lake has acted as lead adviser on a plethora of successful high-profile sale transactions for clients such as MJog, Skill Pill, Cambridge Bioscience, X-on, Young Calibration, Nitritex, and Molecular Dimensions. In addition, he advised numerous businesses on their management buyouts, including Bourn Hall Clinic, Wilkinson Eyre, Titan, Laser2000, Incident Management Solutions, Bailey Fisher, CPL, Element Energy, and 42 Technology.
These accomplishments have not gone unrecognised, PEMCF winning many awards over the years including the Insider Central and East Dealmakers Deal of the Year (under £10m) award in 2020 and 2022.
The team at PEMCF, and the wider PEM family, will be forever grateful for his mentorship and friendship over the last two decades and his hard work to establish PEMCF’s credibility as a leading M&A boutique in the region and beyond.
On his exit, Lake Falconer said:
I joined PEM in 2004 to build a Corporate Finance business. Having started with just me, a desk and phone I’m delighted that today PEM Corporate Finance has developed into a leading and award winning regional boutique style Corporate Finance advisory business. It’s been special to work with such a great team of people right across PEM but especially with all my corporate finance colleagues in the team down the years. We’ve worked with some great entrepreneurs and done some interesting deals along the way.
I leave feeling very positive that the team is in good shape and will go on to prosper under the leadership of my successor Phil Olagunju. I plan to stay active in business in a more freelance capacity and have recently taken on the role of Cambridgeshire Chair for the IoD.
Philip Olagunju, who took over as Head of PEM Corporate Finance in 2022, added:
Lake should take immense pride in all he has accomplished throughout his career and nearly two decades with PEMCF. As a corporate finance leader, Lake not only established PEMCF, but he also served as PEMCF’s primary contact to clients and the professional intermediary community.
Lake helped lead PEMCF through several phases of growth, and navigated periods of economic recession, successfully completing several transactions and valuation projects over the period. We are grateful for his contributions and skilful leadership, and wish him the very best for the next chapter of his life.
