Heightened demand for transaction support sees Eight Advisory expand UK business
Financial and operational consultancy Eight Advisory is expanding its presence throughout the UK, following strong growth last year. The international firm has relocated to a new office in London to help accommodate its growing headcount, which now stands at twenty in the UK.
Established by eight former Partners of the Big Four and Arthur Andersen, Eight Advisory was set up in France in 2009 to address a growing demand from businesses for dedicated financial and operational advice around transactions, restructuring and business transformation decisions. Since its creation by Pascal Raidron, Eric Demuyt, Cédric Colaert, Justin Welstead, Vincent Blot, Lionnel Gérard, Stéphane Vanbergue and Katia Wagner, the firm has grown to over 30 partners and 300 staff, who are housed in offices in Paris, Lyon, Nantes, Mumbai and London.
The French-origin firm saw significant growth in UK activity in particular over 2017, and is consequently extending its presence in the UK. Eight Advisory UK is headed by Justin Welstead, founding partner of Eight Advisory France, and Ben Norris, both Partners in the firm. Amid buoyant M&A activity in the UK last year, the trio witnessed the firm’s London office advise on 16 successfully completed transactions. These transactions included both corporate client transactions, such as preparing the vendor due diligence for L’Oreal on the sale of The Body Shop to Natura Cosmetics; and private equity clients, such as preparing the vendor due diligence for Blackstone on the sale of Alliance Automotive to Genuine Parts Company.
In order to meet increasing demand from the firm’s growing client base, Eight Advisory has had to recruit a number of additional due diligence specialists. This has seen its London team grow to a total of 20 at the beginning of 2018, and caused the firm to relocate to a new location at the turn of the year. Eight Advisory established its first UK office in Dover Street, Mayfair in 2016, but will henceforth occupy a recently redeveloped contemporary office building at 48 Pall Mall.
According to the consultancy, further European expansion will also follow in 2018, with the launch of Eight Advisory’s international alliance, Eight International. The firm’s new network aims to bring together like-minded independent business advisory firms in France, UK, Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Russia and India.
Justin Welstead, Managing Partner, Eight Advisory UK said of the firm’s future plans, “We are thrilled that Eight Advisory continues on its growth trajectory in the UK in only our second year… Despite uncertainty around the EU Referendum, we have already seen greater demand from our clients for advisers who can respond to all their financial and strategic challenges around the world.”
Commenting on the launch of Eight Advisory’s new global grouping, he added, “Through the Eight International alliance, we combine financial and/or operational skills tailored to each situation, coupled with a perfect knowledge of the local market specifics, while maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit and the level of excellence that characterises each of our alliance’s firms.”