Step 1: Data analysis in early October
League table data lies at the heart of all the Mergermarket M&A Awards categories. Following the league tables announcement for Q3, we analyse M&A league table data to identify the top-ranked firms and form a shortlist which includes international and local advisors.
The analysis considers overall value of transactions (GBP equivalent) as well as overall volume (deal count) in equal measure - meaning that even if your transactions have undisclosed values, every deal counts.
The period under review is for deals announced between 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020 - a full twelve months of activity.
M&A advisors who wish to be considered for the awards must appear within Mergermarket's league tables. There's no charge to submit your deals to us.
Our M&A league tables capture the role of an advisor mandated on any side of the deal (to the bidder, target or seller). As a result, outlying deals can sometimes mean international advisors appear in the league tables of countries where they do not have a permanent presence. To help counteract this, we use a proprietary method to ensure locally headquartered advisors are well-represented in their domestic categories.
Step 2: Shortlist announced in October 2020
The M&A awards shortlist is announced as soon as the league tables analysis is complete. This year, the shortlist will be released in October 2020.
Only firms that appear in the shortlist are eligible to enter Mergermarket's European M&A Awards.
Step 3: Send a pitch by Thursday 26th November 2020
Each of the firms who successfully make the M&A awards shortlist are invited to write a 300 word pitch. The pitch is handed to a panel of M&A veterans who will review all of the entries received, compare it with our league table data and debate who deserves to win.
This means the pitch is the most important stage of the process! Judges are looking for the story behind the data, such as the value-adding nature of the advisory work you provided to clients, examples of innovative or creative solutions to complex situations and how you helped get the deal across the line. There is more guidance on what judges are looking for here.
Clare Hope
Registration, Acuris
How to tell us the story of your year in just 300 words.
Step 4: Judging during November
Throughout November 2020, our judges will review all of the pitches and the data. The judges come from a wide variety of industry backgrounds, including investment banking, private equity, financial advisory, legal advisory, academia and journalism. They apply their knowledge to interpret if the deal data combined with what's written in the pitch all adds up to a winning entry.
Step 5: Winners announced Thursday 10 December 2020
In the absence of a gala dinner this year the winners will be announced on Mergermarket.
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