Investment bank and private equity firm Evercore Partners has announced that George R.
Investment bank and private equity firm Evercore Partners has announced that George R. Ackert will join the firm’s advisory business as a senior managing director and will establish and lead its new transportation and infrastructure practice.
Ackert, who will be based in New York, will also lead the development of Evercore’s new sports advisory business.
Ackert is an experienced adviser to companies in the transportation and infrastructure space. Previously, he was the global head of transportation and infrastructure at Bank of America Merrill Lynch having earlier run Merrill’s gaming, leisure and transportation group. There he advised on transactions including the 2008 merger of Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines.
‘George is an outstanding banker who brings to Evercore broad experience and a wealth of relationships, having advised on some of the most significant and transformational deals across the transportation and infrastructure sector,’ says Roger Altman, chairman and chief executive of Evercore Partners.
‘In bringing George to Evercore we are executing on our strategy of building out our team of M&A advisory professionals with seasoned Wall Street talent who can help us further expand into industries where we see significant opportunity. We will continue to add industry expertise and new geographic reach as attractive opportunities arise.’
While at Merrill Lynch, Ackert also advised on a number of other significant transactions, including: the sale of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation to Canadian Pacific Railway; the sale of Pegasus Aviation Finance Company by Oaktree Capital Management to Terra Firma; the SkyWest Airlines acquisition of ASA from Delta Air Lines; the sale of Spirit Airlines; and on private equity transactions for Hertz and PODs.
‘I am excited to join such a highly respected investment banking boutique like Evercore Partners and look forward to establishing and building the firm’s transportation and infrastructure and sports advisory businesses,’ Ackert says. ‘Now more than ever, corporations are looking for sound, strategic independent advice and I feel my extensive experience can help clients achieve their business goals.’
Ackert, 39, began his career as an associate attorney in mergers and acquisitions and structured finance at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
