LAVA is delighted to welcome Joe Sharp as the team’s newest Associate Director driving further growth for the employee-owned firm. Joe’s career to date has been focused on lower-mid market mergers and acquisitions, giving him a consummate understanding of the needs and challenges of business owners and founders, and a wealth of experience to draw upon.
Joining a small corporate finance boutique after university, Joe was immediately immersed in the world of owner-managed businesses, working across all sectors to craft and deliver bespoke deals that both protected the legacy of the business and paved the way for future success.
After four years in the industry he joined KPMG New Zealand to deepen his specialism and gain expanded exposure to diverse businesses and markets. From there he transferred to Melbourne, Australia, where he spent a further three years with KPMG before making the decision to return to the UK to be closer to family, and re-enter the UK M&A market.
Joe explained that his passion for working with owner-led businesses made LAVA the perfect choice:
LAVA’s thoughtful, tailored approach to dealmaking is exactly the environment I was looking for, and it quickly became clear that every single person here is truly dedicated to providing the right outcome for business owners at such a vital moment in their lives.
Joe Sharp Associate Director
An additional draw was the friendly and collaborative nature of the team, who provide active feedback throughout every interview stage and work closely together to ensure everyone has the support they need to learn and grow. Now a proudly employee-owned business, LAVA provides an even more compelling proposition to new joiners, with the confidence that the company and the team are here to stay.
LAVA Partner, Hamish Martin, said of Joe’s arrival:
The speed of LAVA’s growth in the past twelve months has been phenomenal so we’re really pleased to have such a capable and experienced AD joining us at such a crucial time. We have no doubt Joe will be able to hit the ground running and provide our clients with the personal, bespoke service they’ve come to expect.
Hamish Martin Partner
Prior to joining LAVA Joe’s been catching up with friends and family and settling into his new home in North London with his partner, who relocated with him from Melbourne. They enjoy cooking, travelling and making the most of exploring their new neighbourhood.
