Ankura acquires joint venture specialist Water Street Partners
Water Street, a platform specialising in joint venture and transaction advisory services to a multi-national client base, has been acquired by Ankura Consulting. The deal sees Water Street's entire group join Ankura.
Founded in 2014 by incumbent CEO Roger D. Carlile, Ankura Consulting is a business advisory firm which provides management consulting and expert services to businesses. The Washington D.C. headquartered firm has additional offices in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Dallas, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and London.
As it looks to expand its Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia services offering, the global business advisory firm has announced the acquisition of joint venture and alliance advisory firm Water Street Partners. The acquisition brings to Ankura a team of joint venture and alliance transaction advisory experts with expertise spanning multiple industries, while providing complementary services to the firm's existing client offering.
Kevin Lavin, Chief Executive Officer of Ankura, said, "We continue to grow our business by attracting top talent in defined and attractive market segments and fostering a collaborative environment that encourages these leaders to leverage one another's insights and expertise to deliver high-quality, customised solutions to our clients. Water Street is a proven leader in the joint venture and alliance advisory sector. This combination extends our delivery of expert advice to an expanding global client base facing complex and challenging situations."
Founded in 2008, Water Street provides leading companies with transaction, governance and portfolio advisory services centered on joint ventures and alliances. The firm boasts expertise from transaction advisory professionals that have worked across a multitude of industries, including energy, financial services, healthcare, technology, and aerospace. Water Street's entire group will join Ankura, while its leadership – James Bamford, Gerard Baynham, Peter Daniel, David Ernst and Geoff Walker – will join Ankura as Senior Managing Directors.
"We are excited to join the Ankura team, and we share a commitment to serving clients and a common culture focused on collaboration and respect," said James Bamford, a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Water Street.
Equiteq served as a financial advisor to Water Street, while Cooley acted as legal counsel. Davis Polk & Wardwell provided legal counsel to Ankura. Funds affiliated with private equity investment firm Madison Dearborn Partners remain significant shareholders in Ankura.
