Mergermarket names top European M&A advisers of 2018
07 December 2018
Mergermarket announced the winners of the 2018 European M&A Awards last night at a gala dinner at Banqueting House in London. The judging panel named 42 winners in financial and legal advisory from the region. The rigorous judging process included an analysis of Mergermarket’s market-leading league tables followed by a shortlist announcement and scrutiny by a panel of expert judges.
London, United Kingdom, 7th December 2018: Mergermarket, leading provider of M&A data and intelligence, announced the winners of the 2018 European M&A Awards last night at a gala dinner at Banqueting House in London. The judging panel named 42 winners in financial and legal advisory from the region. The rigorous judging process included an analysis of Mergermarket’s market-leading league tables followed by a shortlist announcement and scrutiny by a panel of expert judges.
John West, Managing Editor EMEA at Mergermarket and member of the judging panel commented on the 2018 European M&A landscape: “Brexit is just one of a series of geopolitical obstacles that have made 2018 a challenging year for dealmakers: North Korean tensions; the ongoing war of words between President Trump and China over trade; the tense situation in Ukraine; the election of an untested populist coalition in Italy and its confrontation with the European Commission; and the beginning of the end of the Merkel era.
It is a testament to European dealmaking expertise that as the landscape has become significantly more volatile, M&A values and volumes have kept pace with a record 2017. European M&A is on course to hit its highest annual value since the crisis spurred by a robust H1, which saw Shire and Sky announce their takeovers by Takeda (valued at £58.90bn) and Comcast (valued at £36.91bn), respectively. In line with global trends, the second half of 2018 has been comparatively subdued as increasing protectionism and political headwinds continue to plague dealmakers.”
M&A advisers:
In both France and the Benelux region, Lazard won financial adviser of the year for its work on AkzoNobel’s sale of its Speciality Chemicals business and the challenging acquisition of Gemalto by Thales.
Allen & Overy picked up the mid-market legal adviser award recognising its achievement of the highest deal value (£10bn) and volume (64 deals) of the year in the category.
Private equity:
EY took home the prize for private equity financial adviser of 2018 having worked tirelessly with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, LLC on its 40% acquisition of Belron International Limited.
Latham & Watkins was awarded private equity legal adviser courtesy of its continuing to deepen its relationship with many leading European private equity firms, advising eight of the market’s top ten most active firms, including The Carlyle Group, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co, Blackstone and Warburg Pincus.
Deal of the Year:
In an audience vote on the evening, the acquisition of Sky by Comcast was crowned the European M&A Deal of the Year. The US cable giant Comcast outbid Rupert Murdoch’s Fox in a rare blind auction process for British broadcaster Sky in October of this year. Comcast had separately entered a bid war over the summer with Walt Disney Company for the majority of assets for Fox, but Disney prevailed reaching a $71.3bn deal that includes Fox’s 39% stake in Sky. In July, Fox raised its offer for Sky to £24.5bn then was trumped by Comcast’s £26bn offer for the UK company.
Winners:
European M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Goldman Sachs
European Mid-Market M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Rothschild
European Private Equity Financial Adviser of the Year – EY
Accountancy Firm of the Year – EY
European M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Linklaters
European Mid-Market M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Allen & Overy
European Private Equity Legal Adviser of the Year – Latham & Watkins
M&A Financial Advisory Country Awards:
Austria M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Deloitte
Baltics M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Porta Finance & Rothschild
Benelux M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Lazard
Central & Eastern Europe M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – BNP Paribas
Denmark M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Nordea
Finland M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – MCF Corporate Finance
France M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Lazard
Germany M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Lincoln International
Ireland M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – IBI Corporate Finance
Israel M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Italy M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Mediobanca
Norway M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Pareto Securities
Spain M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Societe Generale
Sweden M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Deutsche Bank
Switzerland M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Turkey M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – Citi
United Kingdom M&A Financial Adviser of the Year – PwC
Legal Advisory Country Awards:
Austria M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Schoenherr
Baltics M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Ellex
Benelux M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Stibbe
Central & Eastern Europe M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – CMS
Denmark M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Clifford Chance
Finland M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Dittmar & Indrenius
France M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Clifford Chance
Germany M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – CMS
Ireland M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Arthur Cox
Israel M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Naschitz Brandes Amir & Co
Italy M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Gianni, Origoni, Grippo Cappelli & Partners
Norway M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – BAHR
Spain M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Garrigues
Sweden M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Vinge
Switzerland M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Baer & Karrer
Turkey M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Paksoy Attorneys at Law
United Kingdom M&A Legal Adviser of the Year – Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
