www.acquisition-international.com • July 2026
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Contents 4 News - STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO HELP ORGANISATIONS THRIVE IN THE AGE OF AI - AI dominates UK smaller business equity market with record investment share as overall funding falls slightly 6 How Business Leaders Can Reduce Stress Without Reducing Ambition 8 Intrinseque Health: Best Clinical Supply Chain Solutions Provider 2026 – Malaysia 9 Trawick International: Most Influential Accident & Health Insurance Businesswoman 2026: Claire Hargreaves 10 A Trusted Partner in MedTech Manufacturing 12 CFAL: Stability, Security, and Integrity for Investors in the Bahamas 13 Turning Climate Action into Measurable Impact 14 TAXCOACH: Empowering Entrepreneurs to Achieve Financial Success 15 IQMS Australasia: Building Systems That Win Work 16 Helping Businesses ‘Complii’ 17 By Design Homes: Real Estate Business Leader of the Year 2026 (Midlands): Angela Barbaro-Robins 18 Turning ‘Unglamorous’ Materials into Moving Visual Communication 13 8 16
NEWS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO HELP ORGANISATIONS THRIVE IN THE AGE OF AI Leading L&D consultancy OnTrack International and relational leadership pioneer Withiii Leadership have agreed a strategic partnership to help organisations strengthen connectivity, collaboration, culture and organisational performance in an increasingly complex and AI-enabled world. The partnership combines OnTrack International’s expertise in leadership development, coaching, assessment and organisational performance with Withiii Leadership’s groundbreaking work in relational leadership and organisational connectivity. Together, the organisations will support organisations that deal with complexity of scale, fast growth, or culture integration challenges to help address some of today’s most pressing business challenges. Such challenges include siloed working, post-acquisition integration, leadership fragmentation, collaboration breakdown, blame culture and the cultural implications of artificial intelligence. The partnership is founded on a shared belief that while organisations have spent decades optimising physical and cognitive capability, the next frontier of leadership advantage may be profoundly human. As artificial intelligence increasingly augments analytical thinking and knowledge work, organisations are recognising the growing importance of trust, connection, adaptability, collaboration and relational intelligence as drivers of sustainable performance. Kevin Johnson, CEO, OnTrack International, said: “Many organisational challenges are not caused by a lack of strategy, talent or expertise. They occur in the space between people, teams and functions. By combining our capabilities with Withiii’s relational leadership framework, we can help organisations strengthen the human dynamics that underpin performance, innovation and transformation.” Withiii’s approach focuses on the quality of relationships across teams, functions and leadership ecosystems. It helps organisations improve collaboration, accelerate integration and build cultures capable of thriving through change. “The defining competitive advantage for any organisation in this new technological era will be the degree to which they have strengthened their teams’ organisational connectivity, both internally and externally. Connectivity is the main driver for a culture of innovation, resilience and high performance, and our partnership with OnTrack will allow that work to be accessible to a broader audience and create greater impact for leaders and organisations.” Jim Ferrell, Founder and Bestselling Author, Withiii Leadership. The partnership will initially focus on joint leadership development initiatives, organisational transformation engagements, executive events, thought leadership programmes and reciprocal client opportunities. Future plans include the development of accredited methodologies, diagnostic tools and scalable relational leadership solutions within the UK market. The announcement follows growing client demand for practical approaches to navigating organisational complexity, integrating diverse teams, strengthening collaboration and leading effectively in the age of AI. Over the coming months, OnTrack International and Withiii Leadership will launch a joint thought leadership campaign exploring themes including relational leadership, organisational connectivity, leadership beyond hierarchy, AI and culture, and the future of human-centred performance.
NEWS States, Germany and France, when controlling for the size of the research base. However, UK spinouts’ equity deals declined by 33% and investment value by 51% year-on-year in 2025, indicating a slowdown in activity. UK venture capital investment overall was 32% lower than the US in 2023-2025 when adjusted for the size of economy. However, US investment figures were inflated by a small number of exceptionally large deals over this period, which has influenced the US investment figure. British Business Bank accelerates investment activity The British Business Bank has accelerated its pace of investment following the publication of its Five-Year Strategic Plan in November 2025. By increasing our annual deployment by two-thirds, we are unlocking around £26bn of private capital alongside £13bn of our funding over the next five years. The Bank is also deploying £4bn to boost the most promising businesses in the government’s eight Industrial Strategy sectors. Leandros Kalisperas, Chief Investment Officer, British Business Bank, said: “While we are seeing signs of the market cycle playing out, the British Business Bank is accelerating deployment of investment across the cycle, and ensuring promising businesses can continue to access the finance they need to start, scale and stay in the UK. “The concentration of investment into AI highlights both the scale of the opportunity and the challenges within the wider market. Ensuring capital is available across sectors and stages will be critical to maintaining a diverse and competitive pipeline of UK companies.” Michael Moore, Chief Executive, UK Private Capital, said: “The UK should celebrate the strength of our spinout ecosystem - outpacing the US, France and Germany is no mean feat, but it’s important that we build on this competitive advantage in years to come. “The British Business Bank is playing an important anchor role in helping develop this ecosystem and growing an investor base of larger VC funds. Nurturing these start ups and ensuring they can access the right capital at the right time will encourage more companies to scale and stay in the UK.” Regional growth as London becomes less dominant The North West of England saw one of the largest increases in equity investment, with investment levels rising 82% in 2025, alongside strong growth in Scotland (74%) and the South West (104%), driven by a small number of large deals in AI and energy. At the same time, London has become less dominant, with its share of UK equity investment declining from 60% in 2024 to 57% in 2025. The British Business Bank is expanding its investments across the UK and is committing £2.6bn of capital to support entrepreneurs wherever and whoever they are, including through two new Nations and Regions Investment Funds. AI dominates UK smaller business equity market with record investment share as overall funding falls slightly AI is reshaping the UK’s startup economy, attracting a record share of investment in 2025 and driving larger equity deals, against the backdrop of a slight decline in overall activity, reveals the British Business Bank’s annual Small Business Equity Tracker. The equity market for smaller businesses is increasingly concentrated around higher-value AI deals. AI companies accounted for 44% of total equity investment into smaller businesses in 2025, the highest share on record. AI represented more than a quarter (26%) of all deals, nearly doubling its share since 2022. Investment in AI-related deals rose by 48% year-on-year, highlighting strong investor appetite. This trend continued into Q1 2026, where a handful of AI-related megadeals drove overall investment growth, despite weaker funding conditions for smaller businesses. Meanwhile, the British Business Bank continued to play a significant role across the market, supporting 15% of all deals and 16% of investment between 2023 and 2025, with a particular focus on innovation-led businesses, including in AI. Larger deals drive the UK smaller business equity market Investors concentrated capital into fewer, larger transactions in 2025 with the top 10 fundraisings accounting for nearly a quarter (23%) of all investment, the highest level since 2020. Equity investment into UK smaller businesses fell slightly, by 4% to £12.3bn in 2025, however, investment remained above pre-pandemic levels. Lower levels of early-stage activity While growth-stage investment proved resilient, early-stage deals at seed and venture stages were 27% and 13% lower respectively in 2025. The Digital and Technology sector remained the largest recipient of equity investment. Advanced Manufacturing saw strong growth in investment value in 2025, whilst Financial Services and Life Sciences were lower. Clean Energy and Creative Industries maintained stable investment levels, despite lower deal volumes, highlighting continued investor confidence in select growth opportunities. Spinout funding expands significantly highlighting the UK’s research strengths Spinout companies play a key role in translating academic innovation into commercial growth, and supporting spinouts remains a key priority for the Bank. Funding for UK university spinouts has grown strongly in recent years, with venture capital deal volumes up by 95% in 2021-2025 compared to 2016-2020, outpacing the United States, Germany and France. This increase highlights the UK’s position as a worldleading research and development hub, home to four of the world’s top 10 universities. The British Business Bank continues to play an important role in this segment, supporting a higher share of spinout deals (16%) than the wider market (12%). The UK had the highest number of venture capital-backed spinouts among international comparators, including the United
Feature 6 | Acquisition International, July 2026 How Business Leaders Can Reduce Stress Without Reducing Ambition Stress is on the rise, both for business leaders and their employees. A recent TUC survey found workplace stress has reached unprecedented levels, now ranking as the top concern across every region and almost every industry sector. Most leaders genuinely want to support employee mental health, but under mounting pressure, the perceived trade-off between wellbeing and performance feels increasingly difficult to ignore. Part of what makes this so difficult is when people think that suffering equals success. There’s a persistent belief in the workforce that if something doesn’t feel hard, you’re not working hard enough; it’s a belief that almost every leader falls victim to at some point in their career. Stress and ambition are not the same thing, however, and wellbeing is not the enemy of high performance. Stress isn’t an inevitable consequence of high ambition; it’s a consequence of how ambition is pursued. Fast-scaling companies often assume they must choose between growth and employee well-being, but with smarter ways of working and effective change management, the two don’t have to be in direct conflict. What actually causes stress The most important thing leaders can understand is that stress isn’t caused by workload alone; it’s caused by the conditions people are working in. Two employees can carry identical workloads, yet one feels overwhelmed while the other stays focused and steady. The difference usually comes down to clarity, control and having the right tools to cope under pressure. Even a manageable workload can tip into overwhelm when those foundations are missing, but when they’re in place, employees can think more clearly, make faster decisions and handle pressure far better. Why reactive leadership makes things worse Leaders set the tone for their teams, whether they intend to or not. When a leader is operating in a reactive and overloaded state, it signals to their team that everything is urgent, hard and there’s no room to breathe. That signal travels fast, causing stress to escalate quickly throughout the organisation as a result. The antidote is proactive leadership, achieved by setting clear short, medium and long-term goals which prevent employees from secondguessing themselves constantly. Asking your team what would give them more control over their work, whether that’s fewer unnecessary meetings or more say in how their day is structured, can have a surprisingly significant impact on how people feel and perform. Leaders who don’t manage how they show up allow stress to spiral through their teams, while those who operate from a grounded and clear-headed state handle the same pressures far more calmly, with their teams following suit. The cost of pushing through at all costs I’ve identified several distinct behavioural patterns that ambitious people display under pressure, each one shaping how they respond to ambition, stress and uncertainty and influencing the way they work and their relationship with success itself. I’ve named them Drifter, Dreamer, Achiever and Performer mode. In Drifter mode, the person runs on autopilot, disconnected and lacking a sense of purpose. In Dreamer mode, they have bold ideas and feel genuinely excited about them, but struggle to translate their incredible ideas into reality. Those in Achiever mode are resultsdriven and constantly persistent, yet fuelled by pressure rather than purpose. Those in Performer mode sit at the other end of the spectrum; equally ambitious but with a sustainable way of operating. Performers are known for taking their big ideas and acting on them systematically, working hard and sometimes putting in long hours in a flow state, but trusting the process rather than forcing every outcome. I most often see leaders in high-growth businesses in Achiever mode. Their way of working is rooted in a fear that if they stop pushing, stop controlling every outcome and release the unrelenting pace, everything they’ve worked for will unravel. When pressure rises they push harder, over-promising, overextending and attempting to stay constantly switched on. The long-term cost of remaining in Achiever mode is significant, resulting in decision fatigue, weakened strategic thinking and a team running on empty, which means that forcing the pace in the name of ambition is ultimately counterproductive. The harder you push without the right foundations, the more you undermine the very results you’re trying to achieve. What high performance really looks like High performance isn’t about squeezing more hours out of the day; it’s about how you use your energy within them. The leaders who sustain strong results over time are those who direct their focus where it matters most, cut unnecessary noise and build in proper recovery so they’re not consistently running on empty. This is not about lowering standards or relinquishing control, but about getting the basics consistently right: clear priorities, welldefined roles and realistic expectations that steady a team far more effectively than pressure ever could. It also means reframing what ambition actually looks like in practice, since the outdated version, characterised by constant busyness and permanent availability, is not a high-performance model; it is a burnout model. Leaders who are genuinely performing at their best are in Performer mode, using their energy strategically and giving themselves the headspace to think clearly, respond calmly and lead effectively. The strongest leaders know that when ambition comes from the right place, it creates discipline instead of pressure, focus instead of reactivity, and steady progress without the constant feeling of falling behind. The first step for most leaders is simply recognising which mode they’re operating in, because if you’re looking to reduce stress without losing your edge, there’s a good chance you’re in Achiever mode. Naming it, without judgement, is where the shift begins, By Hannah Power, Performance Coach, author, founder of amplify and the creator of Performer Mode – an innovative performance framework which is redefining how ambitious individuals and modern organisations achieve future-proof, high-level results.
July 2026, Acquisition International | 7 and from there small changes make a significant difference: setting clearer boundaries, recognising stress patterns early and pausing before jumping into decisions. When leaders work this way, performance and wellbeing stop being a trade-off and start reinforcing each other instead.
8 | Acquisition International, July 2026 Best Clinical Supply Chain Solutions Provider 2026 – Malaysia Intrinseque Health’s recognition as Best Clinical Supply Chain Solutions Provider 2026 – Malaysia marks a significant milestone, particularly as it comes within just one year of the company establishing operations in the country. This achievement reflects Intrinseque Health’s strong global foundation in clinical supply chain management, combined with its rapid localisation and meaningful contribution to Malaysia’s growing life sciences ecosystem. Headquartered in Singapore, Intrinseque Health is an EN ISO 13485, ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and GDPMDS certified global clinical supply chain organisation. The company supports pharmaceutical, biotechnology, drug development, medical device organisations, and Contract Research Organisations (CROs) worldwide through robust, compliant, and time-critical clinical supply strategies. Its Malaysia entity plays a strategic role in extending these capabilities across Southeast Asia, offering regional agility supported by global execution excellence. Establishing a Strong Digital and Operational Presence in Malaysia Within a year of commencing operations, Intrinseque Health Malaysia achieved Malaysia Digital (MD) Certification from the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). This certification recognises the company’s strong digital capabilities, innovation-driven operations, and commitment to leveraging technology to support Malaysia’s digital economy. It also reinforces Intrinseque Health’s alignment with national initiatives aimed at positioning Malaysia as a regional hub for advanced healthcare and life sciences services. Malaysia’s strategic location, skilled talent pool, and expanding clinical research infrastructure align closely with Intrinseque Health’s long-term vision. Through its local entity, the company is actively contributing to Malaysia’s ambition of becoming a clinical supply chain hub, strengthening regional sourcing, distribution, and operational readiness for global clinical trials. Addressing Regional Clinical Supply Chain Challenges Clinical trials are inherently complex, involving regulatory compliance, import and export requirements, sourcing constraints, logistics coordination, and strict timeline management. Intrinseque Health recognises that these challenges vary significantly by region and country. Its Malaysia operations are designed to address these nuances through early engagement with sponsors, proactive planning, and customised supply chain strategies tailored to regional requirements. Backed by a global team with over 300 years of combined experience in supporting clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas, Intrinseque Health delivers pressuretested clinical supply and service plans that reduce risk and ensure continuity of studies. The company’s ability to source locally while maintaining global quality standards enables faster response times and minimises the risk of supply disruptions. Expanding Capabilities and Infrastructure Intrinseque Health continues to expand its operational scope in Malaysia in line with its global service offerings. These include IMP management, non-IMP medicinal and ancillary supplies, labelling and kitting, decentralised trial supply support, and patient-care services. In parallel, the company is progressing towards the establishment of GMP-compliant infrastructure, reinforcing its long-term commitment to building sustainable, high-quality clinical supply capabilities within Malaysia. By embedding efficiency, compliance, and cost-effectiveness into its operational methodology, Intrinseque Health ensures sponsors receive dependable end-to-end clinical supply chain support throughout the trial lifecycle. Driving Innovation Through AI-Led Platforms Technology and innovation form a core pillar of Intrinseque Health’s growth strategy. The company’s proprietary AI-driven platforms, INTRIGENCE and INTRISENSE, recognised under its Malaysia Digital (MD) status by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), are designed to enhance visibility, forecasting accuracy, operational intelligence, and decision-making across the clinical supply chain. These platforms support predictive planning and risk mitigation, enabling sponsors to manage increasingly complex global trials with greater control and confidence. The deployment of these digital solutions within Malaysia further strengthens the company’s contribution to the country’s digital health and life sciences innovation ecosystem. Commitment to Community and Industry Development Beyond its commercial operations, Intrinseque Health Malaysia is actively engaged in goodwill and charity initiatives, reflecting the organisation’s broader commitment to social responsibility. By supporting communitydriven initiatives and contributing to the development of Malaysia’s healthcare and clinical research landscape, Intrinseque Health reinforces its role as a responsible and trusted industry partner. A Trusted Partner for the Future Winning Best Clinical Supply Chain Solutions Provider 2026 – Malaysia so early in its Malaysian journey underscores Intrinseque Health’s ability to translate global expertise into local impact. Through digital innovation, expanding infrastructure, strong quality systems, and a customer-centric approach, the company continues to build credibility and trust within the region. As Intrinseque Health advances its GMP capabilities, expands its AI-powered platforms, and deepens its presence in Malaysia, it remains focused on delivering reliable, compliant, and efficient clinical supply chain solutions—while supporting Malaysia’s emergence as a key hub in the global clinical research and development ecosystem. “We Build & Execute Complex Clinical Supply Plans” - Intrinseque Health
July 2026, Acquisition International | 9 Most Influential Accident & Health Insurance Businesswoman 2026: Claire Hargreaves rawick International provides a diverse portfolio of specialist insurance solutions, including travel insurance, international medical cover, income protection, employee and expatriate benefits, high-risk and tailored protection plans, and bespoke programmes designed for global mobility. Its products are supported by strong underwriting partnerships, advanced digital capabilities, and an unwavering commitment to delivering clarity, care, and value to customers. Claire Hargreaves joined Trawick International in March 2024 as Managing Director for the EMEAA region. In this role, she leads the strategic direction and business development of the firm’s operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, overseeing everything from product development and distribution partnerships to regulatory compliance and market expansion. The Managing Director’s career spans over three decades in London’s general insurance and reinsurance marketplace, as well as the international accident and health sector. Over the course of this extensive career, Claire has incorporated and established profitable businesses in many locations across Asia, Europe, and the UK, and enjoyed leading merger and acquisition strategies that delivered meaningful outcomes for all parties. In her most recent position before Trawick International, Claire spent four years at Global Benefits Group as its Managing Director for the UK, Europe, and CIS. In this role, she was put through some of the most demanding experiences of her career. Most notably was when Global Benefits Group’s captive became insolvent in December 2023. Claire worked with Daryl Trawick, who offered unrelenting support to transition Global Benefits Group’s Accident and Health portfolio and people to Trawick. This meant navigating regulatory frameworks across more than 20 countries, finding A-rated capacity paper (which was done inside nine days), and ensuring delivered continuity of coverage for tens of thousands of policyholders. It also provided a platform for 16 of the Global Benefits Group team to transition across with the book. “It was an enormous undertaking,” Claire reflected, “and one that ultimately positioned Trawick International to accelerate its own expansion into the EMEAA region.” These experiences have all shaped how Claire leads today. Within Trawick International, she takes great pride in fostering a culture defined by accountability, collaboration, and excellence. By empowering people to think boldly, act decisively, and bring their best selves to the work, she has played a key role in creating a safe space to challenge conventions, share ideas freely, and take real ownership of delivering exceptional outcomes. Claire is also deeply passionate about fostering accessibility in insurance, ensuring that Trawick International’s products reach populations that have historically been excluded from quality coverage. When the company expands into emerging markets, it does so with the intention of not simply opening new revenue lines but of providing financial protection to individuals and communities that have never had access to it. “That, to me,” Claire said, “is one of the most meaningful things our industry can do.” Under Claire’s direction, Trawick International’s EMEAA division is following an ambitious and intentional growth trajectory over the next 12 to 18 months. One particular area of focus for Claire is to continue pushing the boundaries of what international insurance can look like in underserved markets. “My primary goal is to cement Trawick International’s position as a leading international employer and partner of choice,” she stated. “I want to see the business we have been building become a truly scaled, sustainable, and recognised force in this market; not just in terms of revenue, but in terms of reputation, relationships, and the quality of protection we deliver to clients.” As Claire Hargreaves is recognised as the Most Influential Accident & Health Insurance Businesswoman 2026, the Managing Director shared her closing thoughts: “Nothing of the scale detailed has been achieved alone. The Trawick International team are a highly skilled and disruptive force capable of shifting industry expectations, and all successes and the resultant value they have created are entirely the product of the collective belief and commitment of my global team.” Contact: Claire Hargreaves Company: Trawick International Web Address: www.trawickinternational.com Founded in the 1998 by Daryl Trawick, Trawick International is a global insurance solutions provider offering innovative, customer-focused products to individuals, families, students, and organisations around the world. The company has grown into a trusted international accident and health brand with a strong and expanding global footprint. This evolution has been made possible by the strategic direction of Claire Hargreaves, an expert Managing Director who has earned recent applause in the Influential Businesswoman Awards 2026. T
10 | Acquisition International, July 2026 A Trusted Partner in MedTech Manufacturing “We are focused on solving real market problems rather than simply promoting generic manufacturing capacity.” In December 2025, entrepreneurial private office and sustainable development investor Buckland Group completed a successful acquisition of Becton Dickinson’s (BD) Swindon manufacturing site, one of Europe’s leading high-precision, high-volume medical device production facilities. This acquisition has resulted in the creation of Quvara Medical, a brand new entrant built on more than three decades of medical device contract manufacturing. Since its inception, Quvara Medical has been on a mission to help pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technology companies bring high-quality injectable drug delivery and medical device products to market with confidence, discipline, and scale. Its proposition is built around the meaning behind the Quvara Medical name: Quality, Validation, and Regulatory Approval. “Quvara Medical is still an emerging brand, but it is built on substantial manufacturing capability, developed over 30+ years with experienced people and a highly relevant industrial base.” Quvara Medical combines deep manufacturing expertise, established regulated infrastructure, and a commercially responsive approach to building client partnerships. Its specialist capabilities mean that Quvara Medical is particularly well-placed to support organisations requiring credible manufacturing capacity, robust process validation, and a partner that understands the realities of medical device industrialisation. At its core, Quvara Medical possesses a deep understanding of the unique challenges pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technology clients face as they move from product concept, development, or transfer into robust manufacturing. It specialises in high-volume medical device contract manufacturing, boasting particular strength in injection devices, autoinjectors, pen injectors, syringe-related components, precision moulding, assembly, validation, and regulated manufacturing transfer. “The values that guide us are quality without compromise, transparency, accountability, technical discipline, and partnership,” Andy told us. “In our sector, excellence is not created by ambition alone; it is created by our people, with evidence, process control, repeatability, and the willingness to solve difficult problems collaboratively with clients.” As the Chief Commercial Officer of Quvara Medical, Andy Wertheim is responsible for leading the commercial transformation of the business, converting proven manufacturing capability into a scalable, market-facing growth platform with board-level accountability. Andy is a collaborative C-Suite leader who boasts extensive experience in strategic business management and performance growth across multiple industries and business areas. Andy’s professional career has been shaped by a consistent interest in how organisations create value: commercially, operationally, strategically, and culturally. He has spent much of his career working at the intersection of commercial growth, portfolio strategy, organisational development, and regulated healthcare markets. “What initially motivated me was the opportunity to work in a sector where business performance and human impact are directly connected,” he shared. “Medical technology is commercially demanding, but it also matters. The products and services we support ultimately contribute to patient care, healthcare efficiency, and improved access to treatment.” “Medical technology is commercially demanding, but it also matters. The products and services we support ultimately contribute to patient care, healthcare efficiency, and improved access to treatment.” Over time, Andy became increasingly interested in the broader mechanics of value creation. He was fascinated by the ways in which businesses identify opportunity, convert capability into market relevance, build trusted customer relationships, and create sustainable growth. This perspective has led him into leadership roles where the task was not simply to sell, but to shape direction, build confidence, and align teams behind a clear commercial and strategic agenda. Andy’s philosophy as a business leader is centred on creating clarity, confidence, and momentum within his team. He understands that it is important to set direction, but even more important to make that direction meaningful to the people who deliver it. This understanding sees the CCO translating strategy into practical priorities, ensuring that his teams understand why their work matters and creating an environment where high standards are expected and supported. Ultimately, Andy believes that successful leadership combines ambition with realism. It is essential to have a bold view of what a business can become, but Andy asserts that ambition must be grounded in evidence, disciplined execution, and honest assessment of risk. In regulated medical technology, credibility is crucial; clients, colleagues, and investors must feel assured that commitments are considered, achievable, and supported by the right capability. “I also believe leadership is a service role,” he added. “The leader’s job is to add value to the people and organisations around them, remove barriers, make good decisions, and help others perform at their best. Sustainable success comes when commercial ambition, operational discipline, and organisational culture are aligned.” This approach – combining commercial ambition, operational discipline, and organisational culture- is precisely how Andy intends to lead Quvara Medical forward. Over the next five years, the company intends to innovate by bringing a more focused, commercially agile, and partnership-led approach to regulated medical device contract Many organisations across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technology sectors are facing increasing pressure around injectable drug delivery, device supply, time-to-market, and more. Based in Swindon, Quvara Medical is emerging as the CMO partner of choice for companies experiencing such challenges, offering high-quality, regulated, and scalable manufacturing. This is a mission steered by Andy Wertheim, Chief Commercial Officer at Quvara Medical and a seasoned professional being celebrated in the Business Leader Awards 2026. We heard more from Andy below, following his recent success.
A Trusted Partner in MedTech Manufacturing manufacturing, especially as the landscape continues to undergo significant evolution. The injectable drug delivery market is changing rapidly. Growth in biologics, GLP-1 therapies, self-administration, drug-device combination products, and patient-centric delivery formats is placing new pressure on manufacturing capacity, device platforms, and industrialisation pathways. Innovation in this environment is not only about inventing and industrialising new devices, but also about helping clients scale safety, validate robustly, transfer effectively, and bring products to market with less friction. Moving forward, Andy and his team strive to ease the industry’s pain points and tackle these challenges head-on. “Our goal is to build Quvara Medical into a trusted manufacturing partner for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medtech organisations requiring high-quality device manufacturing support,” he told us. “We want to be recognised for technical discipline, responsive partnership, and the ability to help clients bridge the gap between product ambition and industrial reality.” He continued: “We are also focused on creating a scalable commercial platform: one that can support existing device categories, adjacent injectable and syringe-related opportunities, and future growth areas where manufacturing excellence and regulatory confidence are decisive.” Since its creation in 2025, Andy has led the Quvara Medical team from strength to strength, successfully establishing the company as an invaluable partner to countless clients across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technology sectors. The Chief Commercial Officer has demonstrated the importance on aligning strategy, capability, and culture across organisations, showcasing how a team operating with a shared vision can achieve sustained success. For his exceptional leadership capabilities and significant contributions to the medical technology field, Andy Wertheim has been deservingly recognised as the UK’s Most Strategic MedTech Commercial Leader 2026. To aspiring business leaders who hope to follow in these ambitious footsteps, Andy advised: “My advice would be to become fluent in both strategy and delivery but always centred on people. People are the key. Many talk about growth, transformation, or opportunity. Fewer can turn these ideas into practical action, measurable progress, and organisational confidence. The strongest leaders connect the big picture with the operational detail.” Contact: Andy Wertheim Company: Quvara Medical Ltd Web Address: www.quvaramedical.com
12 | Acquisition International, July 2026 CFAL: Stability, Security, and Integrity for Investors in the Bahamas ased in Nassau, which is the capital of the Bahamas and the epicentre of its financial activity, CFAL has a long and proven track record of financial stability and integrity across all economic climates. There is also CFAL Securities Ltd., a subsidiary of CFAL, which provides domestic and international brokerage, market making, and other corporate advisory services to its clients. Across all these services, including its six in-house funds (four local and two international), which are intentional and diversified portfolios designed to achieve adequate returns within the funds’ defined risk parameters, the firm is entrusted with the management and administration of close to $2.5 billion in assets. It also advises individual and institutional clients both in the Bahamas and abroad on a number of financial services, from pension management and brokerage through to investment management accounts. CFAL’s team share more than 50 years of experience between them within the diverse worlds of combined international and domestic private banking, as well as investment management and pension administration. At the heart of this team is Anthony Ferguson, CFA, the man who first established CFAL almost three decades ago. In the years since, he has established himself as one of the Bahamas’ leading experts in sustainable finance, climate policy, and economic development. Anthony’s leadership ethos can be felt at every avenue of CFAL, which is built on the pillars of integrity, expertise, and quality service. Beyond these values, CFAL’s philosophy is all about solidifying its position as a trusted financial services company in the Bahamas, doing so simply by offering superior value to its customers and shareholders. Just as important for the firm is providing meaningful and rewarding opportunities for employees, as well as contributing to the growth and development of the Bahamian community. To this end, CFAL has, since opening its doors in 1997, contributed more than a million dollars in charitable gifts to over 100 charities spanning the underprivileged, feeding the hungry, supporting educational pursuits, and more. However, its contributions to the cause go far beyond donations, and the firm’s belief in the power of education sees it support the future of young people practically, all as part of an initiative to improve quality of life for everyone from employees and clients to the local people. This is a vision that has remained unchanged for more than 25 years, even in the face of CFAL’s constant development. Similarly, whilst it has always set out to provide investment and corporate advisory services to the investing public in the Bahamas, its services have expanded to cover pension administration, retirement planning, corporate advisory, stock brokerage, savings, and investing solutions. Its evolution in this space has been defined by an ability to stay ahead, pioneering trends that soon became commonplace. Looking back over CFAL’s history, there are a number of milestones that stand out on its journey to becoming the Bahamas’ leading independent investment management and advisory firm. Be it acting as the lead placement agent for equity offerings worth more than $680 million over the last five years to establishing some of the Bahamas’ most popular and successful mutual funds, a definitive highlight was the CFAL Bond Fund, one of its premier mutual funds, reaching $600 million in net assets in 2026. Additionally, it would be remiss of us not to mention the consistent recognition that CFAL has received here at Acquisition International over the last eight years, dating back to July 2018. Features in 2021, 2024, and 2025 have followed this acclaim, alongside its place here in our July 2026 issue, this as part of the 2026 Global Excellence Awards. The title of Best Independent Investment Management & Advisory Firm 2026 – Bahamas is well deserved, and we wish CFAL and the team all the best for the rest of 2026 and beyond. Contact: Paige McCartney Company: Colina Financial Advisors Ltd. (CFAL) Web Address: https://www.cfal.com/ The investment arm of Colina Holdings Ltd., which has itself evolved over the last 150 years to become the largest life and health insurer in the Bahamas, Colina Financial Advisors Ltd. (CFAL) was founded in 1997 to provide investment and financial advisory services to the investing public. As its 30th anniversary approaches, we take a closer look at this leading firm, which has been named the Best Independent Investment Management & Advisory Firm 2026 – Bahamas as part of this feature. B
July 2026, Acquisition International | 13 Looking to the future, BCP’s strategic priority is to scale high-integrity, community-led conservation across Southern Africa, whilst strengthening the systems that underpin long-term impact. By 2030, the company aims to establish co-management partnerships across 8-10 million hectares, positively impact up to 2 million people, and contribute to annual emissions reductions of up to 30 million tCO2e. A key priority for this mission is expansion. BCP will scale and develop five REDD+ projects across three countries, while ensuring that all existing projects meet the highest standards of validation and verification. This includes full alignment with jurisdictional approaches, such as Zambia’s Eastern Province Jurisdictional Programme, supporting national climate goals and policy development. At community level, the focus is on deepening governance and delivery systems. BCP will support up to 170 community structures to manage carbon revenues effectively, ensuring that climate finance continues to translate into tangible improvements in livelihoods, services, and local economies. The company will also strengthen its existing commercial relationships whilst developing new partnerships across private sector, NGOs, and government to unlock capital, scale implementation, and drive innovation. “Across all activities, BCP will maintain strict adherence to leading standards, including VCS and CCB Triple Gold, ensuring that scale does not come at the expense of integrity,” Nic concluded. “Together these priorities position BCP to scale impact responsibly, strengthen systems, and deliver measurable climate, community, and biodiversity outcomes.” Ultimately, BCP’s work demonstrates that protecting forests and reducing poverty are not competing priorities. When forests generate real economic value for the communities who steward them, conversation becomes durable, equitable, and transformative. For its extensive efforts to establish a thriving green economy across the continent, BCP has been named Africa’s Best Carbon Offset Project Developer 2026. Contact: Nic Mudaly Company: BioCarbon Partners Web Address: www.bcp.earth Turning Climate Action into Measurable Impact “When communities lead and forests are valued, both people and the planet thrive.” BCP is an African born and based conservation and climate finance company pioneering the development of large-scale, high-impact REDD+ projects across Zambia and Mozambique. With a focus on Southern Africa, the company supports the conservation of more than 6.7 million hectares of biodiverse landscapes through forest protection, biodiversity conservation, community empowerment, and livelihood initiatives. REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) is a UN-backed climate change mitigation framework that incentivises developing countries to reduce emissions by protecting, conserving, and sustainably managing their forests. It provides financial, resultsbased payments for verified emission reductions. Through partnerships with governments, communities, and the private sector, BCP’s work delivers verified emissions reductions, supports rural livelihoods, and contributes to 16 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. This is a unique and innovative approach because it addresses deforestation at its root by aligning economic incentives, governance, and conservation into a single, community-led system. Traditional models have often relied on enforcement or short-term funding, with limited local ownership. In contrast, BCP’s REDD+ model cocreates a long-term, performance-based financing mechanism where communities directly benefit from protecting their surrounding forests. “Our model is designed to address the root causes of deforestation by shifting the underlying incentives that drive it,” said Nic. “Rather than treating forest loss as an environmental issue alone, we work at the intersection of poverty, governance, and land use, embedding conservation within local economic and decision-making systems.” At the core of this process is revenue sharing. Carbon finance is returned to communities as forest carbon fees, transforming forests from a resource to be cleared into an asset to be managed. To date, over $21 million has been distributed across 32 Chiefdoms, reaching more than 328,000 people and funding locally determined priorities. As Nic described, this approach means that “communities are not passive beneficiaries, but decision-makers.” This is reinforced through structured governance; Community Forest Management Groups (CFMGs) are trained in financial management, leadership, and project delivery, enabling them to manage significant revenue flows transparently. BCP supports needs assessments and planning processes to ensure communities identify and implement viable, high-impact investments. This builds long-term institutional capacity rather than dependency. African dryland forests are incredibly important for biodiversity, water regulation, carbon storage, and local livelihood across Africa. Today, the ecosystem is under immense pressure due to unsustainable practices, with millions of hectares lost every year. BioCarbon Partners (BCP) is a company on a mission to develop highintegrity carbon offset projects that conserve Africa’s wildlife legacy landscapes and deliver transformative, life-changing impacts for rural communities. We heard more from CEO Nic Mudaly below, as BCP is named in the 2026 Global Excellence Awards. BioCarbon Partners
14 | Acquisition International, July 2026 TAXCOACH: Empowering Entrepreneurs to Achieve Financial Success Every industry is unique and operates according to its own rules; tax consulting, auditing, and business consulting is not standard across sectors. Whether working in manufacturing, healthcare, construction, or the creative industry, TAXCOACH brings unrivalled experience, vision, and a deep understanding of the industry-specific its clients face. We explored TAXCOACH’s services in further depth below, following its recent recognition in the 2026 Global Excellence Awards. Contact: Philip Chlupacek Company: TAXCOACH Web Address: www.taxcoach.at Since its 1983, TAXCOACH has been delivering exceptional advisory services to both private clients and businesses of all sizes. The firm serves as a trusted partner to its clients, standing by their side to actively accompany them on their journey to financial clarity and success. TAXCOACH caters to clients hailing from a wide range of industries, spanning construction, education, liberal professions, health and social services, manufacturing and production, trade, art and culture, real estate and rentals, tourism and gastronomy, media and digital companies, and transport. With more than four decades of experience in auditing and tax consulting, TAXCOACH understands that no two industries are the same. It provides customised solutions that truly align with the realities of each client, offering deep expertise that extends beyond standard financial statements to deliver strategic consulting clients can rely on. These services are delivered by a small but strong partner team of handpicked, qualified employees possessing unparalleled expertise in accounting, payroll accounting, and tax consulting. This team is deeply entrepreneurial at heart, and recognises that the lives of entrepreneurs are about much more than the basics of accounting, payroll accounting, annual financial statements, and tax returns. For this reason, TAXCOACH works on the ground within the companies it serves, collaborating closely with teams to understand what drives the people behind them. Only in this way does the TAXCOACH team identify solutions that stay true to its values whilst working consistently with the client’s operations in the long-term. Mag. Michael Brookhouse-Pasterniak, the Managing Director of TAXCOACH, shared: “We stand side by side with entrepreneurs and their families. Because they are the ones who make the difference in a society.” With TAXCOACH’s focus on easy and fast turnaround in all areas of operation, entrepreneurial clients can focus entirely on what matters most: driving their business forward. The team prioritises continuous digitisation, attentive listening, and a forwardthinking approach to stay one step ahead of the curve, striving to provide each client with a secure foundation upon which to make strong business decisions. For over 40 years, TAXCOACH has provided invaluable support to organisations across an array of industries, with 0% standstill. The firm has catered to more than 1,000 customers with a 95% success rate in proceedings, making a meaningful impact on the operations of myriad sectors across Austria. For such significant contributions to its field, we at Acquisition International Magazine are delighted to recognise TAXCOACH as Austria’s Best Auditing and Tax Consulting Firm 2026.
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