IMAP Celebrates 50 Years of Mergers & Acquisitions
IMAP celebrates its 50th anniversary at its bi-annual partners meeting, in October 2023, held in Stockholm, Sweden.
IMAP, with member firms present in more than 40 countries and with more than 500 M&A professionals, is the world’s largest M&A partnership. IMAP completes more than 250 M&A transactions a year in its different geographies, more than one deal a day.
IMAP began in 1973 in the US, initially under the name NAMAC (National Association of Merger and Acquisition Consultants). In order to reach new markets and create opportunities for its clients, it started recruiting top M&A advisory firms outside the US, and rebranded IMAP, standing for the International M&A Partnership.
The 50 years in which IMAP has operated has borne witness to events that have shaped global markets, including the birth of the internet (1983), the “Big Bang” reforms in London (1986), the collapse of communism in East Europe (1989), the end of apartheid in South Africa (1994), the repeal of Gass-Steagall in the US (1999), China joining the WTO (2001), the Global Financial Crisis (2008) and Brexit (2020). IMAP’s value proposition has proven its longevity notwithstanding fundamental changes in the M&A industry and the world.
Verdant Capital joined the partnership in 2018, and the partnership has brought additional international buyers and investors to its processes for its clients in Africa. In recent years, Verdant Capital has completed M&A and capital markets transactions with counterparties from around the world including the EU, US, UK, Switzerland, Japan, India and Brazil. Verdant Capital has also jointly managed high-profile transactions alongside partners from different markets. Verdant Capital has collaborated with its partner firms to bring new tools and technology into the partnership’s practice, while at all times maintaining the best professional standards.
Client needs, market conditions, and technology are constantly evolving. Verdant Capital believes that its membership of IMAP is a key part of its value proposition, helping a diverse set of clients navigate new challenges and to capitalise on opportunities.
For the year 2022, IMAP ranked eighth in the middle-market M&A league tables globally (Refinitiv). Verdant Capital ranked fourth in the deal flow M&A league tables in 2022 (DealMakers Africa).
Verdant Capital and IMAP are committed to the identification and development of the next generation of leaders: talent development and career progression, helping to attract and retain top talent is key. Verdant Capital looks forward to working with its IMAP partner firms for the next half-century.