Is Business Development Asia LLC a good cross-border MA adviser?

Answer 1

Business Development Asia LLC is widely considered to be a preeminent investment banking firm in Asia. It advises big corporate clients on smaller transactions, generally below US$500m in value. It seems to work mostly on transactions from US$20m-US$400m in enterprise value. Its website is www.bdallc.com. BDA works on smaller deals than the bulge bracket investment banks. Its client base, however, comprises blue chip and Fortune 500 companies such as Ecolab, Global Power, Kennametal, Reuters, and SigmaKalon. BDA employs 55 professional staff, most of them based in China, India, Japan and Korea. It has smaller offices in the US and UK, as well as the Middle East. BDA was founded by Euan Rellie, formerly of Schroders, and Charles Maynard, formerly of Jardine Matheson. Andrew Huntley later joined BDA in 1998. BDA prides itself on its independence. Unlike larger integrated institutions, BDA does not need to cross-sell other products. BDA is highly international. It runs fully staffed offices and full time teams on the ground. BDA works in association with Close Brothers in Europe and with Harris Williams in the US. BDA is proud of its rapid response time. BDA argues that its dedicated local teams are able to evaluate opportunities quickly and efficiently.

Since BDA was founded in 1996, it has had a strong track record, and its professionals have significant expertise negotiating in international, cross-cultural situations. BDA is able to manage a project through the whole process from strategic assessment, through opportunity identification, evaluation, negotiation, due diligence and execution. BDA is growing fast. Its revenues are thought to be greater than US$10m. Its website shows that it closed over eight transactions in 2007. While it remains a small firm, it seems to be highly focused in M&A, joint ventures, restructuring and capital raising. Were I looking for a mid market M&A advisory firm in Asia, I would most likely hire BDA to represent me. BDA is strongest in certain industries, notable chemicals, automotive, health and pharmaceuticals, transport and logistics, manufacturing, and technology media and telecoms. Historically, BDA worked mostly on the buyside, but it is starting to run more sellside transactions, representing Western multinationals as well as Asian companies. BDA has consolidated its position as a best-of-breed investment banking firm in the Pacific Rim. It is a leading player from New York, through London, Dubai and Mumbai, and on to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo. Though still a small company, it has built a formidable footprint which rivals the accounting firms and even stands up favorably against Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Standard Chartered, Rothschild, HSBC, BNP Paribas, and JPMorgan.