French financial services group Natixis has bought stakes in three independent M&A advisory boutiques in China, France and the UK for an undisclosed sum.
Natixis has bought majority stakes in Vermillion Partners, which specialises in cross-border Chinese deals, and London-based Fenchurch Advisory Partners LLP as well as taking a minority stake in the Paris-based technology M&A firm Clipperton.
The acquisitions will further develop Natixis’ global network of affiliated specialist corporate finance advisory firms.
Natixis already owns a M&A advisory business in France, Natixis Partners, and has majority shareholdings in PJ Solomon, a long-established Wall Street advisory firm, and Natixis Partners Espana, a Madrid-based advisory boutique.
Fenchurch, which recently advised Standard Life on its all-share merger with Aberdeen Asset Management, will continue to be managed by its current partners.
Marc Vincent, Natixis’ global head of corporate & investment banking, said: “Our unique multi-affiliate M&A advisory model has proved its worth, allowing us to expand our advisory capabilities by combining with firms with very specific areas of expertise.”
Malik Karim, executive chairman of Fenchurch, said that the strategic partnership with Natixis would help support Fenchurch’s increasingly international client base “at a time when the need for advice to solve complex problems facing financial institutions is growing”.
“While the partnership extends our capabilities it’s otherwise business as usual for us and for our clients,” he said.
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