About us
Ryan Capital Partners is a team of senior trusted advisors with REAL sector expertise. We’ve all led businesses in the media, technology and marketing industries. This means we’ve walked in your shoes, understand the challenges you face and approach assignments with a deep knowledge of the marketplace. Clients hire us for our experience, track record and vast network of investors and stakeholders.
Every deal is partner led throughout the process with the full support of the nominated deal team.
Meet the Team
Damian Ryan
Damian Ryan is the founder and managing partner of RCP.
His media career started in the 1980s publishing arena before establishing the first digital agency in the UK and Ireland. He went on to launch, build and sell three businesses before embarking on a career as a dealmaker and advisor in 2005.
Since then he has led over 100 transactions in the media, technology and marketing sectors. He is focussed on the mid market and average deal values between $10m and $100m. Clients say "it's his unique intimate knowledge of the media and tech sectors that means he truly understands how to engineer successful deals".
Damian has held M&A partner leadership positions in both BDO and Moore Group.
Damian is on the corporate finance board of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments where he helps members stay up to date with current trends in the financial services ecosytem.
He is also the author of Understanding Digital Marketing, the best selling series of books in its category with editions in 13 languages worldwide.
Damian serves on the board of North London Music Therapy. He is a strategic investor in the Institute of Sustainability Studies and InChannels Network.
Damian was awarded the Golden Spider Award in 2019 for Services to the Digital Industry Worldwide.
In 2023 Damian was recognised as 'number 12' in the Top 100 influencers in the Technology for Marketing sector.
Father of twin daughters, guitarist, dreadful poet, golfer and lifelong fan of Irish rugby, Damian lives between London and Dublin.
Nandi Gurapasad
Nandi is a serial entrepreneur, tech leader and strategic advisor to growth companies spanning 25 years.
He’s currently CEO/Board Director of a Web 3.0 Martech company and his most recent M&A deal was Index Exchange acquisition of Rivr.
CxOs and Boards of start-ups and growth companies hire Nandi to advise on growth, scale and strategic M&A opportunities.
His vast operational and strategic experience were gained with pioneering companies in Tech and Digital. He has been both founder or commercial lead for Ogury (pre-IPO), Amobee (acquired by Singtel), Bango PLC (LSE) and Surfkitchen (acquired by Teleca/Harman).
A Canadian, an avid sports fan who can discuss intricacies of baseball, rugby or cricket. He loves a game of golf, tennis or a long trek or cycle ride.
Nigel Paul
Nigel is a Chartered Accountant and non-appointment taking Licenced Insolvency Practitioner specialising in financing and the management of funding and investment relationships. He advises on the development of businesses experiencing significant expansion or difficulties in establishing themselves in their marketplace.
Nigel has built and sold 4 accountancy practices, has advised on venture capital and private equity fund raising, has been involved with AIM flotations as both reporting accountant, Finance Director and CEO. He has worked with major international businesses including SITA, DMGT and Phillips in developing strategic business subsidiaries.
He has re-organised and reconstructed a broad range of businesses to return under performing ventures to profitability and focussed management on the attainment of development and strategic plans, acquisition strategy and ultimate sale. He advises on the management of new funds and their utilisation in accordance with strategic and tactical business plans. He liaises on the relationship between the business and its financiers, bankers and private equity investors.He undertakes the implementation of financial systems and controls commensurate with the needs of the business and stakeholders, is expert in financial forecasting and modelling of scenarios likely to be faced by the business in a clear and concise manner and guiding management through the thought processes necessary to identify and incorporate the fundamental issues facing the business.
Howard Block
Hugo Beggs
Howard is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (FCA) and a Chartered Tax Consultant (CTC).
He has a Diploma in Corporate Finance and is Big 4 trained
He has significant business and consulting experience of a wide array of business sectors having worked in practice and industry but especially Technology, Internet, Media, and Entertainment. Howard is particularly well known for his leadership work in Ireland's radio sector.
Howard is a practical problem solver and has worked closely with Damian since 2005.
He is recently married, with no children but has a dog called Moses
Martin Scovell
Junior Partner, Corporate Finance at Ryan Capital Partners | M&A | Financial
Restructuring | Capital Raising
Hugo Beggs is a Junior Partner at Ryan Capital Partners (RCP), specializing in M&A,
corporate finance, and financial restructuring. With a focus on sell-side mandates and
capital raises, Hugo is dedicated to helping business founders navigate complex
financial transactions and secure successful exits across sectors such as healthcare,
technology, and banking. He brings hands-on experience and a passion for delivering
value to every client engagement, ensuring that deals maximize value and meet
strategic objectives.
Before joining RCP, Hugo worked as a Commercial Finance Analyst at ION Group,
managing and negotiating multi-million-dollar contracts with global clients like
Barclays and Wells Fargo. He also held significant roles at Icon PLC, where he oversaw
a $200M+ portfolio of clinical trial studies for pharmaceutical giants like Pfizer and Eli
Lilly. His tenure at Clanwilliam Group further refined his M&A expertise, having been
involved in the strategic acquisition of a healthcare business from the initial Letter of
Intent to deal closure.
Hugo’s background in financial analysis, due diligence, and deal structuring equips him
with the expertise needed to navigate the complexities of corporate finance. As part of
the RCP team, Hugo leverages his experience to help clients achieve their financial and
strategic goals through tailored advisory services.
Specialties:
• Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
• Financial Restructuring
• Sell-Side Advisory
• Capital Raising and Deal Structuring
• Financial Analysis & Forecasting
• Commercial Negotiations
Hugo is passionate about finance and enjoys the challenge of structuring deals that
benefit all stakeholders. His focus on client-centered advisory services ensures that
every transaction is managed with precision and strategic insight.
Before working for several Plc’s and as the UK Marketing Manager for a German engineering company, Martin gained a BSC (Hons) in Management Sciences (Marketing) and remains a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing MCIM.
In the late 1980s he founded the first of several successful marketing services businesses, culminating with Evolving Media Ltd which, in the early 2000’s, became a UK Top 25 digital agency, winning a number of awards, including coveted ‘Webby’s’.
Early forays into software development led Martin to form and become CEO of MatsSoft Ltd. Evolving Media was sold to a private equity firm.
MatsSoft was an early entrant into the Platform as a Service (PaaS) market, developing a low-code system called MATS, which went on to enjoy international success. It was the only UK-based business to feature at the time in low-code reports from global tech research firms Gartner (Magic Quadrant) and Forrester (Wave).
To support international clients and partners, to fuel growth and to support the setting up of a US office, MatsSoft received investment from VCT Beringea in 2011, with Damian Ryan advising. MatsSoft received several approaches from prospective trade purchasers from mid-2015 and eventually agreed a sale to AIM listed software company Netcall Plc in late 2017.
Martin remained until mid-2019 to help facilitate a smooth integration and to successfully deliver performance targets to secure a full earn out for the MatsSoft team. Returning to his business roots, Martin subsequently acquired a 50% stake in award-winning marketing agency Bonfire Creative Intelligence (www.bonfireci.com) and is an advisor to Tel Aviv-based international tech growth consultancy Tydex (www.tydex.net).
A father and recent Grandfather, Martin is based in The Lake District and Bedford, enjoys the arts, the outdoors, growing and cooking and sports. He also finds time to be involved in community-based projects such as the B4RN Gigabit Broadband project for South Lakeland.