Gateley Legal advises Frontier Development Capital on eight strategic transactions deploying over £34 million in funding

Gateley Legal has advised leading debt funder Frontier Development Capital (FDC) on a series of eight strategic transactions over the last two years, spanning critical sectors including maritime, logistics, insurance and healthcare. The transactions highlight FDC’s commitment to driving business growth through flexible long-term investment solutions and Gateley Legal’s expertise in structuring and executing debt facilities.

Collectively, these transactions have enabled FDC to deploy over £34 million in funding, reinforcing its position in supporting mid-market SMEs with debt investments between £1 million and £8.75 million. Under the management of Chris Jones, Banking & Finance partner and lead legal advisor on all our FDC transactions, Gateley Legal has been instrumental in bringing each transaction to completion in an efficient manner, balancing FDC’s legal risks with the commercial imperatives of its borrowers.

The key transactions include:

• Pharos Marine Group – a £7.5 million cross-border financing deal to facilitate the acquisition of the Pharos Marine Group by the existing minority shareholder and by management. The transaction spanned the UK, the US and Singapore.
• Meet Your Miracle – the funding of a private investment group led by investor Simon Freer to acquire Meet Your Miracle, an award-winning pregnancy scanning business that offers a range of ultrasound scans from numerous sites in the UK.  The transaction was advised by Debrett’s.
• ShipVet Services – a seven-figure loan to fund a management buy-in for ShipVet Services, a business that carries out safety, technical and environmental risk assessments for companies chartering vessels.
• Diamond Logistics – a seven-figure loan for Diamond Logistics, a UK company that has built a national network of delivery and fulfilment providers around its unique technology platform, to support further expansion.
• Logik Logistics – FDC’s exit from Logik Logistics, a market leader in time-critical logistics, generating multiple returns for FDC since its debt and equity co-investment in 2022, on which Gateley Legal also advised FDC.
• Dickson & Co – a £5.3 million funding package to acquire Kerr Insurance to form one of the UK’s largest independent insurance providers and enable further growth.
• UK Vein Clinic – a £1.5 million debt financing deal to accelerate the expansion of the UK’s leading varicose and thread vein treatment clinic chain across 10 new locations.
•  Gateley Legal’s Banking & Finance team is recognised as one of the most experienced and largest practices in the Midlands. With deep expertise in private equity, acquisition finance, leveraged finance, real estate finance and asset-based lending, the team has consistently delivered financing solutions that empower mid-market SMEs to achieve sustainable growth.

Chris Jones, Banking & Finance partner, commented: “This suite of transactions illustrates how tailored financial structures can transform mid-market growth, particularly as companies currently push against a number of economic headwinds. Our role extends far beyond traditional legal advice — it’s about creating pathways for sustainable success. We are proud to support FDC’s flexible and attractive approach to financing that unlocks multi-million pound investments to support SMEs to thrive in evolving market conditions.”

Charlie Robinson, Investment Director at FDC, added: “FDC is dedicated to supporting SMEs in the UK regions to deliver on their growth potential with flexible funding solutions. The last two years have seen record levels of activity for our business which is in part testament to our differentiated approach to the market, but also due to the quality of advice we receive that allows transactions to be delivered. Chris and the rest of the Gateley team have played a crucial role in our success – they are knowledgeable, proactive and understand the dynamics of our market. We look forward to further developing the relationship with the team following the launch of our new fund in April 2025.”