Clairfield International, a top-ranked corporate finance partnership, and Yamada Consulting Group, a publicly-listed consulting and M&A advisory firm on the Tokyo stock exchange, are pleased to announce a partnership in crossborder mergers & acquisitions. With this agreement, Yamada will become the gateway for Clairfield clients into Japan, and Clairfield will provide Yamada with access to its  corporate, private equity, and family business clients worldwide.

Clairfield International provides advisory services on middle-market transactions for large companies, private investors and private equity, public sector clients, and family businesses. Headquartered in Europe with locations in every major region worldwide, Clairfield offers clients access to local corporate businesses, investors, and key decision makers, combined with a deep understanding of local regulations and cultures. Closing more than 130 transactions annually, Clairfield ranks as one of the top independent M&A advisors in league tables worldwide. The partnership was founded in 2005 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Yamada Consulting Group  is a leading consulting and advisory company with offices in all major Japanese cities, as well as in China, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and the US (Los Angeles). The firm has more than 35 years of history in Japan and focuses on management consulting, financial solutions, international management, real estate consulting, and education. The M&A practice is cross-divisional and Yamada completes approximately 100 transactions per year. The management team has cultivated key relationships with decision-makers at companies and governmental organizations throughout the country.

The Clairfield and Yamada teams recently worked closely together on a landmark deal in the plastic-injection moulding machinery industry. The teams represented the opposite parties, but the deal required close collaboration for successful closing to the satisfaction of both buyer and seller.

The agreement between Clairfield and Yamada provides strategic benefits for both parties and will allow Clairfield to continue to provide top-of-the-line services to its clients on an even larger scale globally. The extensive professional networks of Yamada in Japan and southeast Asia combined with their expertise in Japanese business are invaluable. For both Clairfield and Yamada, this partnership represents an exciting opportunity for real growth and entry into new markets.

“We have lately seen a resurgence of Japanese buyers in Europe, closing four deals last year of solid midmarket European companies to Japanese companies. Yamada, with its long history and prestige in Japan, will open further doors for Clairfield in accessing buyers in Japan and indeed deepen our existing access throughout southeast Asia,” says Alexander Klemm, chairman of Clairfield International. “We have experienced first-hand the professionalism of the team in closing the Negri Bossi/Nissei transaction and are pleased to be able to offer the expertise and access of this partner to our clients.”

“Expanding our reach beyond South East Asia and adding to our existing presence in key markets in Europe, Australasia and the Americas through Clairfield marks a further milestone in the internationalisation of the Yamada group of companies”, says Keisaku Masuda, president of Yamada Group.

“Clairfield International offers us inroads to midcap opportunities in Europe and the world,” says Yasushi Aono, head of the crossborder M&A division at Yamada. “With Japanese buyers showing increasing interest in Europe, we are pleased to take advantage of the access Clairfield can offer.”

Links:

Tokyo Stock Exchange announcement in English and Japanese.

Yamada Consulting Group website

For press inquiries, contact Kim Rizvi at +41 22 518 0242