Swindon legal and financial expertise has helped secure the sale of an award-winning London-based signage and design firm to an internationally renowned design and architecture brand.
Partners from the Swindon office of leading commercial law firm Thrings advised The Holmes Wood Consultancy on its acquisition by the Benoy Group while corporate finance specialists at the Old Town office of Watersheds helped find the buyer and structure the deal. 
Holmes Wood designs and installs original ‘wayfinding’ schemes such as signage and site maps for museums shopping centres, universities and public spaces, such as Duke of York Square in London, pictured.
Founded in 2000 by entrepreneurs Alexandra Wood and Lucy Holmes, it has worked on high-profile buildings such as the National Gallery, Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Modern and the Arnolfini in Bristol.
In 2015 it won three prizes under the ‘Wayshowing’ category of the International Institute for Information Design (IIID) Awards for its work on Oxford Brookes University, Imperial War Museums and the University of Greenwich. It also counts Virgin Atlantic and easyJet among its major clients.
The buyer Benoy Group, also based in London, is the parent company of renowned architectural, interior and graphic design company Benoy, established in the UK in 1947 and now operating in more than 80 countries.
It is best known nationally for its work on the Bluewater retail park in Kent, London’s £1.6bn Westfield regeneration scheme and the current Battersea Power Station renovation project.
Acclaimed international projects include more than 1,100 Marks & Spencer stores worldwide, Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi and Parc Central in Guangzhou, China.
Benoy Group said acquiring Homes Wood continued its expansion into complementary business areas, central to its vision of becoming a multi-boutique practice offering visionary design projects.
Thrings corporate partner Simon Hore, senior corporate partner John Davies and trainee solicitor David Geller advised Holmes Wood on the corporate aspects of the deal.
Simon said: “Thrings is delighted to have advised Alex and Lucy on all legal aspects of the transaction and we are glad to have met the tight timescales involved. We wish Holmes Wood continued success in the future as part of the Benoy Group.”
Watersheds partner Wendy Lam said: “This deal was all about finding the right buyers for our clients; somebody who understood the business and appreciated the potential it has to grow and, more importantly, an organisation who had a cultural fit.
“It was clear from the initial meeting Holmes Wood and Benoy had a lot in common and the services provided were complementary. We are pleased to have initiated a deal which has led to the joining together of two highly regarded British design brands, enabling Holmes Wood to retain its individuality while integrating Benoy’s design philosophy, operation strengths and global reach.”
Alexandra Wood of Holmes Wood added: “We are delighted to have worked with Watersheds. Finding the right buyer was important to us as we have built this business and reputation up since we established it in 2000.
“It was essential the buyer understood the vision we have for the business going forward and shared our culture and ethos and Watersheds understood this, working hard to meet our needs.
“Selling our business was a big decision for us and Watersheds were able to advise and support us throughout the process.”
Benoy Group CEO Tom Cartledge, said: “We are excited to welcome Holmes Wood into the Benoy Group. The combination of Benoy’s architecture, masterplanning and interiors skills, and Holmes Wood’s pioneering approach to wayfinding and graphic design makes for an extraordinarily compelling proposition.
“I am confident that this acquisition will mark the beginning of a new phase of growth for Benoy Group and we look forward to further expanding our capabilities in the future.”
Financial details of the deal, which completed before Christmas, have not been disclosed.
