The small firm working on Dell's $21.7 billion deal

It’s a $21.7 billion proposal to return the world’s largest privately held technology firm to public markets.

 

The deal features big names —Michael Dell, Goldman Sachs Group, Silver Lake —alongside one not so well known — Discern Analytics.

 

Discern, a small Bay Area consultancy run by former Lehman Brothers technology analyst Harry Blount, was chosen by the special committee of Dell’s board to perform an independent analysis of Dell’s financials including certain forecasts, growth assumptions and market research, according to a proxy statement.

 

Fees for such work, which typically goes to larger firms such as McKinsey & Co, PriceWaterhouseCoopers or Boston Consulting Group, can run into six digits, according to people with knowledge of the practice. It’s unclear how much Discern was paid.

 

Francis, who worked at Lehman for 17 years, is now senior managing director at Evercore, the bank advising Dell’s committee.

 

The group wanted an “outside industry consultant” to help scrutinise financial projections, according to filings, and asked Francis to reach out to Blount.