Eight Advisory - Management Consulting Firm Marks 10th Anniversary

December 9, 2019

Eight Advisory, the independent financial and operational consultancy firm specialising in Transactions, Restructuring and Transformation, is celebrating its 10^th anniversary having reached several significant milestones across its European offices. The anniversary comes as the company’s UK operation, which has expanded by 100% in the last year, surpasses £10 billion in completed transactions.

This growth will be further enhanced in 2020 by the addition of two senior hires in its UK office with Ian Durrans and Ian Whitlock joining to develop the Transaction Services and Infrastructure practices respectively.

Ian Durrans joins Eight Advisory as a Transaction Services senior adviser having spent 36 years for one of the Big Four, latterly as a senior Partner in their Transaction Services deal team. Ian’s focus will be on developing both private equity and corporate clients to ensure they receive maximum value during transactions, focusing on both acquisitions and divestments.

Ian Whitlock joins as a Partner in Eight Advisory’s Infrastructure transactions team in London and has over 20 years of experience with one of the Big Four providing buy-side and sell-side financial due diligence, transaction support and SPA advice to infrastructure funds and mid- and large- cap corporate clients. He has significant experience of working with global clients on large, complex cross border transactions and he has helped clients with over 250 transactions.

Eight Advisory was established in France in 2009, aiming to address a growing demand from company executives, shareholders, private equity funds, banks and potential investors for dedicated independent financial and operational advice around Transaction Services, Restructurings and business Transformation. It has since expanded both within France and beyond, and now boasts 440 employees, including 50 partners. With offices in Paris, Lyon, Nantes, Brussels, Frankfurt, Munich and London, it has become a leading cross-border advisory firm. It has also established Eight International, a global alliance of business advisory firms in countries including Russia, Spain and India.

The company’s performance in the UK is particularly noteworthy, having seen its London operation expand by 100% in the last year alone. The team has been involved in several high-profile transactions in recent years, including the sale of Alliance Automotive Group to Genuine Parts Company, multiple carveouts from BBA plc and the acquisition of Tarsus by Charterhouse Capital Partners LLP.

Justin Welstead, UK Managing Partner at Eight Advisory, commented:

“We have seen remarkable growth in just ten years, and the company has gone from strength-to-strength. We’re delighted to welcome Ian Durrans and Ian Whitlock to our UK operations as we strengthen the team for further growth in 2020 and beyond.

“Our best-in-class offering of financial and operational expertise, deep knowledge of national markets and an entrepreneurial spirit has driven Eight Advisory’s growth in the UK. We continue to invest heavily in our London operations and we look forward to building on the success of the last decade.”

Ben Norris, Partner at Eight Advisory UK, said:

“The rapid growth of Eight Advisory over the last ten years is a testament to the hard work and expertise of our entire team. It is an incredibly exciting time for the company as we continue to develop our presence in the UK and other key European markets. The addition of Ian Durrans and Ian Whitlock will ensure we continue to adapt to the rapidly shifting global deal-making environment to provide an exceptional service to our clients.”

Tim Wainwright, Operations Partner at Eight Advisory UK, said:

“At Eight Advisory we are building a team that is able to serve clients on a national and international basis ensuring we maximise value from transactions. Our pre-deal and post-deal advisers bring deep expertise in both deal delivery and value creation supported by an entrepreneurial approach.”