It’s been a busy six months at LAVA, marked by the addition of three new team members – Associate Directors Loïc Bourdonnec and Clare Stockdale, along with Analyst Ivo Brett.
In this conversation, we sit down with our newest recruits to find out how they’re settling in. From Clare’s venture out of her comfort zone to Ivo’s first client interactions, and Loïc’s insights from our team coach, delve into the real-life experiences of working at LAVA HQ.
Firstly, how have you settled into LAVA, and how have you found working with the team at the office?
Clare: I feel that I’ve found my home at LAVA, and that’s the most incredible feeling. It’s been a little over three months, and the warm welcome and support I’ve received have made me feel part of the team from day one.
I get excited about coming into work – everyone has different things going on and different backgrounds, which makes for a really vibrant atmosphere. You also get a real sense here that everyone wants everyone else to succeed, and that’s something that happens at every level.
Ivo: Yes, the supportive atmosphere and sense that you’re part of a real team have made settling in easy for me too.
It’s a very collaborative environment where everyone is willing to give their time and make sure you’re adjusting okay. It’s been a nice transition into my first office job.
Loïc: I think it’s been great to be in the office with the team every day of the week. It’s definitely a mix of a very professional and casual environment where we have lunch together almost every day, so a perfect environment to settle in and get to know coworkers.
Also, it’s very enjoyable to be on Jermyn Street, which is a great location. It’s close to many of our private equity partners and is great for shopping, as well as many good food and pub options!
Can you share one of your highlights of working at LAVA so far, as well as something that’s surprised you?
Loïc: A highlight of mine is that a few months ago, we went to a client meeting which was postponed last minute. We took the opportunity to visit Stonehenge on our way back to the office. It was a very enjoyable summer day and a classic example of the team turning a setback into a new opportunity.
Something that’s surprised me is how supportive the environment is – particularly as M&A is not an industry known for that.
There’s a lot of work pressure around timelines and client requests, but, at LAVA, it’s fun. We focus on predictive outcomes for clients, and it’s done in a very positive way.
Clare: My combined highlight and surprise are that this is a firm that encourages you to get out of your comfort zone – which for me happened in week two.
But it’s also recognised that when they’re doing that you’re going to fail sometimes, and that’s actually okay. When things go wrong, we’ll support each other and reflect on how we could have done something better.
It’s always better when you’re winning, and as much as we fail as a team, we win as a team and share our successes. I think that’s the biggest thing here, that we really are a team.
Ivo: Being a graduate, a big highlight for me has been the team’s willingness to help me grow and develop with incredible feedback and help.
The thing that surprised me the most is the encouragement to take responsibility and be put in client-facing positions, like presenting work, from day one. That’s quite different from traditional graduate roles.
LAVA is known for our personal approach to client relationships. How has that impacted the work you do?
Clare: I’ve been in advisory for a really long time, and the reason for that is because I love meeting new people and working through their challenges with them. At LAVA, we take the time to really get to know our clients and understand their circumstances. That means a lot of dialogue and a lot of listening and asking questions.
This highly tailored approach is great for me because I don’t feel like I’m cranking the handle and doing the same thing each time, but it also means our clients are getting the support and advice they need.
Ivo: The personable approach does feel natural. Being able to connect with clients just makes more sense because you’re working directly on their projects.
I enjoy that there’s no set process or predefined list of tasks. It’s about adjusting our work to fit the client’s needs.
Loïc: It’s very important to get to know our clients, especially entrepreneurs who are exiting companies they’ve built for years. It can be emotional, so building trust is key.
The way that LAVA is set up allows us to understand the emotional aspect of M&A and listen to what our clients want to achieve. Instead of using preformatted processes we’re able to work hand in hand with our clients to deliver the best outcomes that fit their needs.
At LAVA, we like to challenge traditional processes in favour of creative thinking and disruptive business practices. How have you found this style of M&A?
Loïc: I’d say it’s both liberating and effective. We have a blank sheet of paper approach, but it’s backed by the team’s expertise.
For example, we spend a lot of time deep diving into a sector and using our expertise to narrow down the number of people early in the process through direct discussions and sharing information selectively, ensuring confidentiality and reducing market-chatter risks for our clients.
Clare: To do this, we really focus on having early dialogue with buyers, and that just makes us so much more informed when we’re talking to sellers.
Rather than talking from experience that could be quite outdated or in theoretical terms, our advice is very current and very real.
As Loïc said, it makes the processes more efficient. It’s much tighter and slicker and means that we’re not wasting anyone’s time creating or endlessly updating materials that no one will read anyway. That focus on the areas that matter means that we can also get into greater detail in those areas, which benefits everyone.
Ivo: Regarding challenging traditional M&A processes, I can’t speak to all the ways we do that yet, but I know it’s a shared opinion in the office that more time understanding the real issues, delving into the data, and less time spent on slides also makes the work a lot more interesting and fun!
Looking ahead to next year, what are your personal goals or aspirations?
Loïc: My main goals are to continue working with great clients and delivering successful outcomes.
I also aim to continue learning both hard and soft skills. We benefit from having a team coach, who provides great advice and helps with internal communication and development plans. She’s a great asset and coordinator.
Ivo: My primary goal is to gain exposure to all elements of M&A. LAVA’s culture is good for being pushed to actively take part in various steps.
Business development is also a big goal of mine, and there’s support for that within the team.
It’s amazing that everyone contributes to LAVA’s success.
Clare: I’m really excited to be part of LAVA’s growth – it’s a young firm with a lot of ambition, and that energy is infectious. We’re creating something really special here, and that’s resulting in a lot of traction in the market.
We work with many incredible entrepreneurs, and being entrepreneurial ourselves really creates a great connection – a meeting of minds.
I’m also really looking forward to my first completions here and sharing those successes with the team. Watch this space as it should happen in the next couple of months.
We are always looking for exceptional talent to join our high-performance M&A team. Keep an eye on LAVA’s LinkedIn for new job postings, or get in touch with our team directly to discuss career opportunities.
