International investment bank Altium has opened an office in Frankfurt, Germany.
The new office is Altium’s ninth in Europe and it will expand the firm’s debt advisory and financial restructuring practice overseas.
The opening of the Frankfurt office comes shortly after Altium agreed exclusive partnerships with independent US advisory firm Petsky Prunier and Indian international investment bank Allegro last month.
Altium enjoyed a successful 2012, advising on deals worth GBP4.8bn, a 31 per cent increase on 2011.
The firm completed 41 deals in 2012, including 13 led by its UK team in Manchester, London and Leeds, and 28 by international offices.
Transactions advised on by Altium in 2012 included:
• The GBP85m management buyout of Bifold Group, the leading designer of valves and pumps for the oil and gas industry, by LDC
• Care UK acquiring care service provider Harmoni for GBP48m; and
• Equistone Partners Europe’s acquisition of a significant stake in specialist technical services recruitment business Fircroft in a deal worth GBP140m.
Major international deals included the GBP1.6bn voluntary takeover offer for all shares in German goods retailer Douglas Holdings by Advent International and the sale of Austria-based surfing merchandise online retailer Blue Tomato to US based Zumiez.
Phil Adams, group chief executive of Altium, says: “We are really excited about the potential of our new office in Frankfurt. The new team there will focus primarily on technology and debt advisory mandates and is an excellent fit with the rest of our business. Our exclusive partnerships with Petsky Prunier and Allegro will greatly enhance our reachinto North America and India.
“2012 was an extremely strong year for Altium culminating in the GBP1.3bn take private of Douglas Holdings. We saw good deal activity across the group and particularly in technology, consumer and eCommerce and industrials. One particularly notable deal for us was advising Swarovski on its investment into Tara Jewels in India.”
