Hilton Smythe expands corporate finance team with two senior appointments
Manchester-based business brokerage and financial advisory firm, Hilton Smythe has strengthened its corporate finance team with two strategic hires.
This comes as the firm expands its corporate finance services and positions itself for growth in the North West.
Muhammad Mustafa joins as corporate finance director, bringing more than a decade of experience from global firms like BDO, Interpath and KPMG.
Joining Muhammad is Mei Yan, formerly of Huajin Corporate Finance in Hong Kong, who takes on the role of M&A associate.
Gareth Smyth, CEO at Hilton Smythe, said: “We’ve worked hard to build our reputation as a hands-on, results-driven brokerage that delivers with care and attention. Now with these new appointments we’re applying that same approach to the wider financial services space.
“Muhammad brings the senior experience we need to grow our advisory offering and Mei adds international expertise that strengthens our transactional capability.
“These strategic appointments add real firepower to our team as we accelerate growth in corporate finance and support clients through complex deals.”
Muhammad Mustafa said: “What drew me to Hilton Smythe is its clear commitment to doing things differently, a service-led model that prioritises long-term relationships over short-term wins. The team has built a strong track record in advising SMEs and small-cap businesses, which is where bespoke, hands-on support really makes a difference.
“After years advising at a national level, I’m looking forward to using that experience to offer tailored, locally focused advice for ambitious businesses. There is a real demand for expert, practical financial guidance to help businesses navigate the M&A process, especially for SMEs going through it for the first time. That’s exactly what the team and I are focused on delivering.”
Specialising in complex M&A, restructuring and deal advisory, Muhammad has led high-profile projects, including an advisory mandate secured via HSBC to support a £45m turnover national firm facing financial challenges.
He will now lead Hilton Smythe’s Manchester office, helping to shape the firm’s growing corporate finance and advisory offering.
With nearly seven years’ experience in investment banking and advisory, Mei Yan played a key role in the initial public offering of Chinese fintech firm Linklogis Inc, one of the largest in China’s supply chain finance sector.
Mei will support clients through the transaction process, including valuations, financial due diligence and deal structuring.