CASE STUDIES

Aldermore M&A

CLIENTS

Aldermore

Job

Advising Aldermore bank on its financial communications strategy, including during the company’s takeover by South Africa’s largest bank.

Lansons was appointed in 2016 to provide financial communications support to Aldermore and advise the bank on its broader reputation management programme - inducing public policy, business to business and consumer communications. During the summer of 2017 the Board of Aldermore received an unsolicited takeover approach for the Group from South Africa's largest bank, FirstRand.

Following media speculation, FirstRand's interest was made public via an RNS statement which was followed several weeks later by the announcement of a formal recommended offer for Aldermore.

Lansons played a key role supporting Aldermore's Board and communications and investor relations teams. Our work encompassed strategic advice, planning, development of messages through the process, media handling and stakeholder engagement plans across all audiences.

The response of the Group's primary stakeholder groups - investors, employees and customers - to the Board's recommendation of the Offer was resoundingly positive, reflecting not only the deal's strong rationale but the clarity with which the Board communicated.

The deal received favourable comment in key financial media titles and at the General Meeting of shareholders on 8 December, 99.98% of shareholders voted in support of it.