Pictured above: Sophie Dent of BTG Corporate Finance with Justin Sorby, Iain Lownes and Steve McMullan

The Birmingham office of BTG Corporate Finance has expanded by taking on a new recruit.

Sophie Dent has arrived as an executive to work alongside the Birmingham corporate finance team, comprising partner and national head Iain Lownes, and directors Steve McMullan and Justin Sorby.

Ms Dent said: "I am delighted to have joined BTG Corporate Finance. This is an opportunity for me to work in a strong, tight-knit team in a market which is showing signs of improvement. I hope to make a significant contribution to the work of the team and to the wider Birmingham office."

Mr Lownes said: "We are very pleased to have recruited Sophie. She has bolstered the team, bringing extra depth to our offering."

Ms Dent previously worked at Fujitsu, providing financial and business modelling in relation to bids, projects and new pricing structures.

Before that she was with Boots Opticians, having originally worked for Dollond & Aitchison prior to the merger of the two companies. This was a commercial role which again required financial modelling and analysis of new promotions, products and price changes, as well as analysing and understanding trading conditions.

In her spare time she is a trustee of Sutton Coldfield Recreational Trust, currently handing over the position of treasurer after five years, and remains on the committee. "This is a voluntary position which I hold as a representative of Sutton Coldfield Rugby Club - a subsidiary of the trust - of which I am a keen member, having been founding captain of the women's team in 2003."

Mr Lownes said: "Although corporate finance has experienced very difficult market conditions over the last few years, we are currently working on a number of sizeable and interesting transactions.

"We have just completed the purchase of the Extra motorway service area portfolio, comprising 8 operational sites and a development site in Cobham, Surrey, from Swayfields Extra MSA Holdings (in administration) on behalf of M3 Capital Partners. We are also looking to recruit at a senior level in a number of locations as our market normalises."

BTG Corporate Finance is a division of the listed specialist professional services firm, Begbies Traynor Group, which has over 40 offices in the UK. In addition to Birmingham, the corporate finance practice has offices in London, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Southampton.

For more information about Begbies Traynor, please visit their website here: www.begbies-traynorgroup.com