EMC’s Regional Corporate Finance Update | July 2026

July 2026

Welcome to our corporate finance review for July 2026. It’s been a busy month, with 105 deals reported across the South East as teams rushed to complete transactions before the summer.

Andy Burnham became Prime Minister on 20 July 2026, with newly appointed Chancellor John Healey taking responsibility for the Government’s finances. Since taking office, the new Government has announced several immediate policies, including changes to VAT on energy bills and cuts to selected business rates. The Budget has now been scheduled for 28 October 2026, when we can expect the majority of wider key policies to be announced.

This month also saw the wave of UK-listed companies being taken private continue at pace. Facilities management group Mitie agreed to a recommended £3.1bn cash takeover from rival OCS Group, in a deal that would create a combined business with annual revenues of around £8.5bn. The transaction follows a string of takeover approaches and agreed deals involving UK-listed companies this year, including easyJet, Rotork, Intertek, Tate & Lyle and Beazley, and takes the value of UK takeover deals so far in 2026 above $60bn, underlining the scale of overseas and private capital continuing to target UK businesses, both large and small.

Across the South East, Sittingbourne-based OSC Sales, owner of the Carpenters Mate, Orbix and Optimaxx brands, has been acquired by fellow Kent fixings business Fixfast Group. Uxbridge-based ARRI Rental, a provider of camera, lighting and production equipment to the film industry, has been sold to private equity firm H2 Equity Partners.

While deal teams across the region continue to report that transactions are generally taking longer, we are already seeing some process timetables aligning for completion ahead of the October Budget where feasible. The Government’s plans for Capital Gains Tax remain unknown, but speculation is likely to begin appearing in the headlines soon.