Diane Friedman

Senior Vice President
Wolrige Mahon Corporate Finance
604.691.6809

dfriedman@wolrigemahon.com

Education

Certificate in Family Business Advising – Sauder Business Families Centre, UBC (2009)

B.Comm.   Bachelor of Commerce – Sauder School of Business, UBC (1992)

Professional History:

Diane began her career with the TD Commercial Banking Group where she spent 5 years as a commercial lender. From there she joined Roynat Capital and spent 2 years working with growing BC businesses providing term loans, major equipment leases, subordinated debt and equity financing. In 1998 Diane became a founding Investment Manager at Vancity Capital, initially capitalized with $25 million. During her 15 year tenure in the banking and merchant banking, Diane has financed in excess of 400 BC-based businesses, with her last 10 years concentrated on subordinated debt financing for growth, acquisitions, and management buyouts.

Diane joined Wolrige Mahon Corporate Finance in 2006 to work as an advisor to business owners in their M&A activities, and to assist them with financing as they grow their businesses organically and through acquisitions.

Recent Projects Include

• Partner buyout: Assisted client in buying out his partner in a construction business. This included providing a valuation advisory report and preparing and negotiating a Letter of Intent where no shareholder agreement was in place. We prepared a CIM and negotiated with both conventional and mezzanine lenders to obtain financing, and then worked with lawyers to assist with the Purchase & Sale Agreement and settle closing matters.

• Acquisition: Assisted client in financing the acquisition of a legal services business. This included preparation of a package for conventional and mezzanine lenders, negotiating with interested parties, and putting the right package in place to finance the acquisition and support future growth.

• Conventional Debt Financing:  Raised financing for a rapidly growing niche manufacturer whose products are selling around the world. The financing enabled the business to stand on its own, and to support ongoing growth.

• Business Review: Conducted business review of an engineering firm to identify inefficiencies, assess management, and provide the client with recommendations for business improvements.

Having been raised by entrepreneurs herself, Diane enjoys working with owners of private companies and family businesses. “I really love helping our clients find financing that is the right fit. It’s not just about the cash – money is a commodity. It’s more about finding the right relationship, both in terms of personally-fit and in terms of understanding the business and its cycle.”

When it comes to M&A, Diane says “Whether buying or selling a business, the process can be stressful for an entrepreneur. I enjoy walking them through it, making sure that the deal is structured and negotiated to their maximum benefit.”

Diane also points out that “Working as an M&A advisor at Wolrige Mahon is a great fit because when a client needs additional services, we have tax and other experts to meet the full spectrum of needs and ensure that they maximize their return.”