Dealmakers Awards 2024 Scotland: Dealmaker of the Year

Dealmaker of the Year: Kerry Sharp | Sandy Young/scottishphotographer.com

Kerry Sharp is director of entrepreneurship and investment at Scottish Enterprise. Her team invested £52 million into more than 100 companies over the year through their public/private investment model, leveraging in additional funding of £152m from private sector investors; £119m from outwith Scotland.

Sharp, known as a team player, was praised by the judges for helping to build an outperforming early-stage investment ecosystem which enables ambitious businesses in Scotland to fulfil their potential.

Her responsibilities include oversight of equity transactions and portfolio management of a number of co-investment funds, commercial lending, direct strategic investment, fund management and monitoring investment trends to enable investment product development – as well as Scottish Enterprise’s wider specialist advice and support for startups, spinouts and early stage scale-up businesses.

Commenting on the 12-month period that was the focus of the awards, Sharp said: “Our team worked their socks off, worked flexibly, worked with everybody in this room – give or take – to make sure that money goes to the companies that need it to help them on their growth journeys.”

Looking ahead to 2025, she added: “It’s going to be really tough, but in a good way. There are great things happening. Next year is going to be a fabulous deal market, and I think Scotland’s going to outperform the rest of the UK at every level.”

Highly commended

Richard Pugh, investor at Edinburgh-based investment service BGF, who led investment in Stellar Omada.

Shortlisted

Jonathan Shelley, partner at PwC. He worked on the sale of the

Red John Pumped Storage Hydro Scheme to Statkraft.

Lee Donaldson, investment director at private equity firm LDC, who arranged investment in Kick ICT.

Graeme Williams, head of KPMG Corporate Finance Scotland. He advised on the Sale of Hamilton Waste & Recycling to Biffa.

Mark Munro, chief investment officer at Scottish National Investment Bank, who worked on a debt facility to fund the development of 350 acres at Ardersier Port.