Ashley Higgs

Ashley leads S&W’s regional valuation practice, helping clients make better decisions by understanding the value of shares, businesses and intangible assets for a variety of commercial, tax or financial reporting purposes. 

Experience

Ashley joined S&W after 12 years with two Big Four firms where he led their Midlands-based valuation practices. Before this, Ashley was an equity analyst at US investment bank JP Morgan.

He specialises in financial reporting valuations, especially relating to IP and intangible assets Purchase Price Allocations under UK GAAP (FRS 102), IFRS 3 and US GAAP, but also fund valuations and day-to-day company issues such as impairment reviews and cost of capital determinations.  

Alongside final reporting, Ashley performs a variety of company valuation work – often in the context of deals. This can include valuations for restructuring purposes (eg business transfer or pre-pack administration), tax incentive schemes (eg EMI, growth shares), inheritance tax, commercial pricing for a transaction, or valuing shares in the event of dispute.

Notable client work and achievements

Ashley's current clients include many FTSE-100 constituents, as well as some of the largest UK listed companies to be taken private during recent years.

He has supported several high profile and contentious transactions, including valuations relating to UK sports stadia, cancer drugs in development, software developers and metal manufacturing. Ashley has also previously specialised in valuations of large value infrastructure assets across Europe, including ports, toll roads, rail, airports, wireless masts and energy (gas/electricity) generation, storage and distribution.

Professional memberships

Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales’ (ICAEW) Valuation Special Interest Group