Rikesh Patel

Founded in 1993, the Harlequin Group operates from its Scottish base in Livingston, with offices across the UK in Chatham, Bromsgrove and Manchester. Led by founder and managing director David Summers, the company is a UK market leader in the mobile and fixed line sectors working on site acquisition, town and country planning, community relations, estates management, valuation, technical surveys, civil and electrical design and site build services.

Based in Warwick, Telent provides specialist technology services for digital infrastructure in design, build, operation and maintenance.

Telent’s acquisition of the Harlequin group will support its ambitions to enhance its professional services offering to mobile network operators and service providers, including the delivery of public 5G networks. The acquisition will also expand Telent’s services in fibre network planning, surveying and design.

RSM UK’s team, led by corporate finance director Rikesh Patel, with support from Ben Everson, advised on the sale of the Harlequin Group. Ian Riggs and James Down from Hill Dickinson provided legal advice on the deal.

Rikesh Patel, corporate finance director at RSM UK, said: “As the UK’s mobile network transition to 5G technology accelerates, the timing of this acquisition brings together two industry leaders to combine their specialist services and expertise to capitalise on the opportunity as the UK gears up for the rapid rollout of 5G technology. This deal also further strengthens RSM’s credentials in the telecoms sector.”