E&Y, o3 among top PE advisors, says study

Ernst & Young was tied with boutique investment banks MAPE and o3 Capital for the first positions among most active transaction advisors in the private equity realm in 2009, according to a new report from capital market research firm Venture Intelligence. All three firms had five deals each in 2009, according to Venture Intelligence.

“Given the extraordinarily tough environment for deal making in 2009, advisory firms that made it to the League Tables for the year can be credited for their deep client relationships and market awareness,” said Arun Natarajan, CEO of Venture Intelligence, in a press release. He said that Venture Intelligence plans to update its League Tables every quarter.

ALMT Legal and Desai & Diwanji topped the Venture Intelligence League Tables as the most active legal advisors for private Equity and M&A deals respectively in 2009. Ernst & Young also topped the League Tables as the Most Active Transaction Advisor (PE and M&A combined) for the year.

On the M&A front, E&Y topped with seven deals, followed by MAPE (six deals) and Kotak Mahindra and Avendus Capital with five deals each. Among Most Active Legal Advisors for PE transactions, ALMT with 21 transactions to its credit for the year, was followed by AZB & Partners with 12 transactions and Khaitan & Co. with ten deals.

In the League Table for Most Active Legal Advisors for M&A transactions, Desai & Diwanji topped with 17 transactions, followed by AZB & Partners and Khaitan & Co with 15 deals each.

The Venture Intelligence League Tables, which the firm claims is the first such initiative exclusively tracking transactions involving India-based companies, are based on the volume of PE and M&A transactions advised by transaction and legal advisory firms during the calendar year.