top of page
Skyscrapers and Sky
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS, PRIVATE EQUITY AND CORPORATE FINANCE
Practice Area

Our team is comprised of highly accomplished senior executives who ran their practices globally at commercial banks, investment banks, Big Four consulting companies, as well as private equity funds and firms, including but not limited to KPMG, Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Need More Information?

SEDA’s experts identified acquisition targets, managed due diligence processes, negotiated and assessed reps and warranties, provided M&A and PE advice, issued fairness opinions, raised debt and equity, and advised on many restructurings. SEDA’s experts have experience in structuring, executing, and negotiating M&A and PE transactions spanning globally.

Our experts advised creditor groups and regulators seeking negotiated settlements to financially distressed situations, as well as analysis of solvency and the potential conversion of creditor claims into a controlling interest in a company.


Additionally, our corporate finance experts worked with clients to find private company merger candidates that would make a superior public company.  They originated acquisition targets, managed due diligence, structuring and negotiating transactions, provided M&A advice, raised debt and equity and advised on restructurings.


SEDA’s experts have experience in structuring, executing and negotiating merger and acquisition worldwide, and in international debt restructuring transactions, negotiation processes, and emerging market and sovereign debt restructuring.



EXPERTISE:

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)

Our experts are seasoned in structuring, negotiating, and executing complex M&A deals globally. We provide testimony on valuation, deal structure, due diligence practices, and negotiation strategies.

Private Equity (PE)

With experience in structuring and managing PE transactions and advising on portfolio company performance, we provide opinions related to transaction value, financial forecasting, and alignment of private equity investments. Our experts help courts understand the structure of PE transactions, from pre-transaction due diligence to final execution and pricing.

Due Diligence

We assist in verifying the accuracy of asset valuations and financial statements, evaluating financial stability, and risk assessment of targets in both M&A and PE transactions. As experts, we explain the diligence process and highlight risks or misrepresentation that could affect valuations or transaction outcomes.

Business Valuation

Our team provided detailed valuations for mergers, acquisitions, or legal disputes, grounding values in market data and industry standards. This includes fair value assessments and expert opinions on the accuracy and methodology behind valuations.

Fairness Opinions

Our Experts issued fairness opinions that serve as an objective measure of transaction fairness to shareholders. We validate methodologies used in opinion assessments and clarify fairness to stakeholders, offering expert insights on industry standards in fairness opinions.

Bankruptcy and Restructuring

Our experts specialize in advising distressed companies and creditor groups, providing opinions on restructuring viability, asset valuations in bankruptcy, solvency analyses, and the implications of converting claims into equity. This expertise is critical in cases involving bankruptcy fraud or solvency disputes.

Capital Allocation and Efficiency

We provide opinions on capital efficiency strategies and performance implications, drawing on our experience with corporate finance and strategic investment in multiple sectors.

Debt Restructuring (Sovereign and Corporate)

We advise on complex debt restructuring cases for both corporations and sovereign entities, focusing on viability assessments and debt-to-equity conversions. Our testimony helps clarify the financial impact and feasibility of restructuring options in litigation.

Cross Border Insolvency

Navigating cross-border insolvency cases requires expertise in different legal jurisdictions and international finance standards. We provide insights into the complexities of managing international bankruptcies and restructurings, supporting cases with our understanding of cross-border regulations and financial frameworks.

SPACs and IPOs

For cases involving SPACs or IPOs, we offer testimony on the structuring, financial projections, and regulatory compliance of these offerings. This is especially relevant in disputes involving SPAC mergers or IPO valuation and performance expectations.


RELATED EXPERTS

David Locala

David Locala

Bio

Managing Director

David Locala spent his entire career of over 30 years in investment banking, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions and financing / capital markets transactions for companies in the technology sector. He completed over $200 billion in transactions, including buyside and sellside M&A for publicly-traded and private companies, leveraged buyouts and contested transactions.

Former 

Citigroup – Managing Director and Global Head of Technology 

Deutsche Bank – Managing Director and Co-Head of Global Technology

Expertise

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), Fairness Opinions, Business Valuation, Venture Capital/Private Equity, IPOs / SPACs, Companies in the Technology Sector

Mitchell I. Gordon

Mitchell I. Gordon

Bio

Managing Director

Mitchell Gordon has over 40 years of experience as a C-suite executive (at both public and private companies), as a partner at a private equity firm and as a partner at a bulge bracket investment banking firm. He has extensive SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Companies) experience having served as President and CFO and serving on the boards of 2 SPACs. He brings significant expertise in investment banking, M&A, start-ups, corporate governance and restructuring transactions and has extensive expertise in logistics and transportation, media and specialty finance.

Former

Cambridge Capital Acquisition Corp./SPAC - President and CFO
Interpool (NYSE: IPX) - EVP and CFO

Expertise

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs), Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), Investment Banking, Restructuring and Financing, Transportation and Logistics

Craig Coben

Craig Coben

Bio

Managing Director

Craig Coben has over 25 years of financial industry experience serving as the Vice Chairman of Global Capital Markets and Global Head of Equity Capital Markets at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He is an investment banking world-class expert with deep expertise in a full range of equity products, including IPOs, SPACs, block trades.

Former 

Bank of America Merrill Lynch – Vice Chairman of Global Capital Markets and Global Head of Equity Capital Markets

Deutsche Bank – Managing Director, EMEA Equity Capital Market

Expertise

IPOs, and Securities Offerings, Investment Banking, SPACs, Block Trades, Margin Loans, Corporate Equity Derivatives

Natasha Kassian

Natasha Kassian

Bio

Managing Director

Natasha Kassian has over 30 years of buy-side experience providing legal and compliance guidance to registered investment advisers across a broad range of products, asset classes, investment strategies, and jurisdictions. She has served in roles including General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for firms that manage hedge funds, private equity funds, venture funds, retail and institutional separately managed accounts, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds.

Former 

Citadel Americas LLC - Aptigon – Chief Compliance Officer

Millennium Management LLC – Global Head of Corporate and Regulatory Compliance

Expertise

Buy-Side Legal and Compliance, Regulatory Examinations, Inquiries and Investigations

Sekhar Bahadur

Sekhar Bahadur

Bio

Managing Director

Sekhar has almost 35 years of experience in investment banking. He ran Deutsche Bank’s Sponsor Coverage Business, which covered private equity firms as investment banking clients, and then took responsibility for the firm’s European Leveraged Finance business.

Former

KKR Capital Markets Limited –Director

Deutsche Bank – MD and Vice Chairman of Investment Banking, Financial Sponsors Group

Expertise

Banking, Corporate Finance, Leveraged Finance, Private Equity, Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Finance, Derivatives

Kathryn Porter

Kathryn Porter

Bio

Managing Director

Kathryn Porter is an independent energy consultant with over 25 years’ experience of the energy and finance sectors in both leadership and technical roles. She has specific expertise in the utilities, oil and gas sectors, with finance experience spanning equities and equity derivatives, debt capital markets, M&A, loans, and risk management.

Former

Société Générale - Director, Commodities Structuring

EDF Trading - Head of Structuring & Pricing

Expertise

Utilities, Oil and Gas Equities, Debt Capital Markets, M&A, Loans

Stephen Schiller

Stephen Schiller

Bio

Managing Director

Mr. Schiller has spent his entire career in financial restructuring and M&A. He provides advice and testimony to parties involved in financially distressed and bankrupt organizations, whether they be creditors, debtors, equity holders, regulators or unions. He has over twenty-five years of experience in developing and assessing valuations, analyzing liquidity under various scenarios.

Former

Citigroup – MD, founding member of Financial Restructuring Group, and senior member of Mergers and Acquisitions Group

Expertise

Bankruptcy and Reorganization, Business Valuation, Fairness opinions, Due diligence, Liquidity Analysis and Solvency, Mergers and Acquisitions, Fraudulent Conveyance

Mike Airheart

Mike Airheart

Bio

Managing Director

Mike served Corporate and Investment Banking clients raising public and private debt capital. As a Senior Corporate Banker, he managed middle-market and large, multinational, corporate clients, specializing in corporate finance, capital raising, due diligence, wholesale credit origination/loan book portfolio management and credit risk management.

Former

Bank of America Merrill Lynch – Managing Director

Expertise

Corporate Debt Capital Raising, Corporate Finance, M&A Financing, Credit Risk

Martyn Till

Martyn Till

Bio

Managing Director

Martyn Till is a retired senior tax advisor with extensive experience in the UK and international tax landscape, having spent most of his 30-year career at KPMG LLP as a Corporate Tax Advisor. He specializes in the tax aspects of Mergers and Acquisitions, cross-border transactions, and mid-market Private Equity transactions.

Former

KPMG LLP - Tax Partner and Senior Tax Manager

HM REVENUE & CUSTOMS - HM Inspector of Taxes

Expertise

Corporate Taxation, M&A Tax Advisory, Private Equity Tax Advisory, UK Direct Taxation, Investigations

Robert Ohrenstein

Robert Ohrenstein

Bio

Senior Advisor

Robert Ohrenstein is a market-leading transaction adviser to private equity and similar investors. His career includes leadership roles at KPMG, where he served as Global Head of Private Equity and Vice Chair, as well as advisory positions in various commercial and charitable organizations.

Former

KPMG – Vice Chair, Global Head of Private Equity

Expertise

Private Equity Transactions, Pre-transaction Due Diligence, SPA Pricing Mechanics, Closing Accounts Disputes, Financial Reps and Warranties

Mark J. Epley

Mark J. Epley

Bio

Managing Director

Mark Epley is a seasoned investment banking executive with over 35 years of experience in corporate finance leveraged finance and M&A. He served as Chairman of the Financial Sponsors Group Americas at HSBC Securities, where he led global coverage teams and delivered significant growth. Mark has also held senior leadership roles at other global franchises including Nomura, Deutsche Bank, and Morgan Stanley.

Former

Nomura Securities Internatiinal - Global Head FSG

Deutsche Bank Securities - Global Head FSG

Morgan Stanley & Company - Executive Director

Expertise

Mergers and Acquisitions, Capital Markets, Investment Banking, Corporate Finance


Neil Crowder, CFA

Neil Crowder, CFA

Bio

Managing Director

Neil Crowder (CFA), former Partner and Head of Investment Research at Goldman Sachs, is a recognized expert in global financial institutions with over 35 years of experience spanning the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and other emerging economies. He serves as a consultant to financial institutions, with extensive experience across public equity, private equity, and fixed income.

Former

Goldman Sachs - Managing Partner, Head of Investment Research

CBS Property Group - Chairman Of the Board

Chayton Capital LLP - Chief Executive Officer


Expertise

Investment Research, The European Banking Industry, Valuation of Banking Securities, Banking Mergers and Acquisition


Simon Thackray

Simon Thackray

Bio

Managing Director

Simon Thackray is a seasoned corporate and investment advisor with over three decades of experience spanning capital markets, private equity, and operational leadership. Mr. Thackray is a global expert in equities, capital markets and corporate valuation with a particular focus on research and analysis where he has held leadership positions at multiple financial institutions.

Former

Jefferies - Managing Director, Senior Equities Analyst

CLSA - Senior Analyst

Citi - Direcor, Senior Industrial Analyst

RBS Markets & International Banking - Director, Senior Equities Analyst


Expertise

Private Equity, Corporate Valuation, Capital Markets, Mergers and Acquisitions, Strategic Financial & Investment Advisor, Board Level Consultant


Glover Lawrence

Glover Lawrence

Bio

Managing Director

Glover Lawrence is a senior strategy and corporate development executive with over 30 years of experience leading transformational M&A and strategic initiatives, with deep domain expertise in the technology and software sectors. He has executed more than 75 transactions totaling over $17 billion across the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific, spanning acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and restructurings.

Former

Aspen Technology - SVP Corporate Development

Avid Technology - VP Corporate Development

McNamee Lawrence - Co-Founder and Managing Director

Morgan Stanley - Financial Analyst

Expertise

Corporate Development, Mergers and Acquisition (M&A), Fairness Opinions,  Business Valuation, Strategic Acquisitions, Companies in the Technology Sector

Marc Skaletsky, CPA

Marc Skaletsky, CPA

Bio

Managing Director

Marc Skaletsky is a highly experienced accounting, finance, and international tax professional with nearly five decades in the public accounting and tax advisory fields. Renowned for his deep expertise in international tax, Marc has been instrumental in leading complex mergers and acquisitions across diverse industries, driving tax compliance, technology innovation, client relationships, and strategic business initiatives.

Former

KPMG LLP - Partner, International Tax Services

Grant Thornton LLP - Managing Director of International Tax Services

Expertise

International Tax Structuring & Compliance, Mergers & Acquisitions, Tax Technology & Quantitative Analysis


Michael Biehl

Michael Biehl

Bio

Managing Director

Michael Biehl is the former Vice Chair and CFO of KPMG and a recognized authority in taxation and private equity. With over 30 years of leadership experience, he has advised global businesses and executive teams on complex transformations, cross-border M&A transactions, and strategic growth initiatives.

Former

KPMG LLP - Vice Chair and CFO 

Expertise

Private Equity, International Taxation, Financial Reporting, Professional Service Industry Operations, Cross-Border M&A and Corporate Restructuring, Financial Strategy & CFO Advisory, Accounting & Audit Oversight, Corporate Governance & Executive Leadership

Howard Mills

Howard Mills

Bio

Senior Advisor

Mr. Mills is a former Superintendent of the New York State Insurance Department and a retired Deloitte Managing Director and Global Insurance Regulatory Leader.  He has been a Senior Advisor to the Insurance Practice at McKinsey and Company and currently serves on the Boards of Genworth Financial and The Doctors Company Group.

Former

Deloitte - Managing Director, Global Insurance Regulatory Leader

New York Insurance - Department Superintendent

Expertise

Insurance, Insurtech, Reinsurance, M&A, ESG, Regulatory and Reputational Risk

Mark B. Cohen

Mark B. Cohen

Bio

Managing Director

Mark B. Cohen brings nearly four decades of experience in restructuring and distressed investing, spanning Investment Banking, and Private Credit. Throughout his career he has led complex restructurings, and delivered high-return capital solutions for sponsors, corporates, and institutional investors. Mark also provides expert testimony in the fields of bankruptcy and restructuring disputes.

Former

RBC Capital Markets - Managing Director

Deutsche Bank - Managing Director

Expertise

Restructuring, Distressed Investing, Private Credit, Leveraged Finance


George Lucaci

George Lucaci

Bio

Managing Director

George Lucaci is an expert in asset-gathering across the fund management industry including alternative investments. He presently serves as Global Head of Distribution for FolioBeyond having previously held leadership roles in the hedge fund and private equity industry after a long career in investment banking.

Former

Mercury Capital Advisors, LLC - Partner and Senior Advisor

Channel Capital - Senior Managing Director

Normandy Asset Management - Head of Risk Analysis

Expertise

Fixed Income, Asset Management, Capital Raising- Institutional and Retail, Hedge Funds, Private Equity, Non-Traditional Bond Funds


Ankur Keswani

Ankur Keswani

Bio

Managing Director

Ankur Keswani, former Head of Corporate Credit at Serengeti Asset Management, is a seasoned credit investor and portfolio manager with over twenty years of experience in high yield and distressed credit, special situations, bankruptcy and restructurings, and post-reorganization equity investing. Her expertise spans risk and portfolio management, credit research and trading, performing and non-performing debt, leveraged loans, corporate valuation, credit analysis, illiquid securities, and leveraged buyouts, as well as board of directors and officers’ duties.

Former

Serengeti Asset Management - Head of Corporate Credit & Senior Managing Director

Goldman Sachs - High Yield and Distressed Trader & High Yield Healthcare Research


Expertise

Portfolio and Risk Management, High Yield and Distressed Debt Research and Trading, Special Situations Investing, Performing and Non-performing Leveraged Loans, Credit Analysis/Corporate Valuation, Bankruptcy and Restructurings,  Leveraged Buyouts, Illiquid Securities

bottom of page