William Blair, a global boutique with expertise in investment banking, investment management, and private wealth management, has appointed Arthur van der Goes as a managing director in the firm’s global Consumer and Retail investment banking team. Focusing on food and beverage, van der Goes will be based in Amsterdam, a continuation of the firm’s strong commitment to the Benelux region, and Europe more widely.
“We are continuing to expand our European presence and are investing in our team to better serve our clients across the continent,” says Anu Sharma, head of European investment banking. “We have a long history of serving European clients with exceptional outcomes, and with Arthur joining are excited to continue our strong transaction momentum within the consumer sector.”
With over 20 years of industry experience, van der Goes joins William Blair from Rabobank in Amsterdam. Most recently, he was managing director on the food and agriculture M&A team, leading mid-market food M&A transactions in the Netherlands and coverage of animal protein clients in Europe. Prior to that, he held various positions at ING in Amsterdam, New York, and London, advising clients on corporate finance transactions across various industries. Van der Goes holds a master’s degree in financial economics from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam.
“Arthur brings a breadth of capabilities and senior-level M&A advisory experience to the team,” says Adam Filkin, managing director and head of the Consumer and Retail investment banking team. “He has a long track record of success focused on M&A transactions in the consumer, food and beverage, and agriculture sectors for clients across Europe. We are excited to have him join to help build our presence in the region.”
In 2019, William Blair unlocked over USD100 billion in value for clients, completing 245 transactions. More than one-third of M&A transactions involved cross-border counterparties, spanning 23 countries. Over the past five years, William Blair has been very active in M&A advisory in Europe, completing 151 advisory engagements with a total aggregate transaction value of more than EUR27.3 billion.
