The top M&A consulting firms in the private equity industry
Unquote has revealed the winners of its 2020 Private Equity Awards, one of UK’s most hotly contested awards for dealmakers in the private equity world.
The annual award ceremony recognises success in creating value for clients and the wider private equity community across the investment lifecycle, as well as innovation, resilience and excellence. The awards are judged by a panel of veterans from the industry combined with a public vote.
Following a due diligence on over hundred entries for the competition, a group of twenty winners were announced during a virtual event – traditionally, the winners are unveiled at the Brewery in London, in front of more than 400 of the industry's leading figures.
Winners comprised strategics that closed transactions, private equity firms, and M&A advisors from corporate finance firms, consulting firms and law firms working on both buy-side and sell-side transactions.
Alantra, an international M&A advisory firm (formed in the UK following the combination of Alantra with Catalyst Corporate Finance), was named Corporate Finance Adviser of the Year, taking over the title from rival GCA Altium.
Notable transactions Alantra supported in the past year include advising Bain Capital Credit and T.M. Lewin on the sale of the business in May to consumer specialist, SCP Private Equity; advising Bowmark Capital on its investment in Focus Group; advising Tenzing Private Equity on its acquisition of activpayroll and advising MML Capital Partners on the acquisition of Arrow Business Communications.
The M&A practice of Alvarez & Marsal won the Financial Due Diligence Provider of the Year award, on the back of a record-breaking year for the firm’s European team. The service line worked on over 250 separate transaction engagements, with deal sizes ranging from under £25 million to over a £1 billion in value. The accolade sees Alvarez & Marsal repeat its success from 2018, when it also scooped the prize.
Deloitte retained its award for Debt Adviser of the Year, while similarly, CIL Management Consultants retained its Commercial Due Diligence Provider of the Year award. Boutique private equity and digital specialist Palladium took home the Specialist Due Diligence Provider of the Year award, following in the footsteps of GK Strategy.
A list of the other winners at Unquote’s 2020 Private Equity Awards:
Small Buyout Exit of the Year: Tenzing (FMP Global)
Mid-Market Exit of the Year: 3i (Aspen Pumps)
Secondaries Deal of the Year: Standard Chartered portfolio
Venture & Growth Capital House of the Year: Frog Capital
Small Buyout House of the Year: Elysian Capital
Mid-Market Buyout House of the Year: Bowmark Capital
Responsible Investor of the Year: Palatine
Fundraising of the Year: Tenzing
Lender of the Year: HSBC
M&A Insurance Broker of the Year: Howden M&A
Law Firm of the Year – Transactions: Eversheds
Law Firm of the Year – Fund Structuring: Proskauer Rose
Fund Administrator of the Year: Aztec Group
Placement Agent of the Year: Asante Capital
Secondaries Adviser of the Year: Campbell Lutyens
