BDA Partners
BDA Partners is a private, Asia-focused cross-border M&A advisory firm advising private equity sponsors, multinational corporates and founders on sellside M&A, capital raising, secondaries and restructuring across nine global offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BDA Partners does
BDA Partners is a private, partnership-owned investment banking advisory firm founded in 1996 and led continuously by the same senior team since inception. The firm provides cross-border M&A advisory, capital raising, secondary transactions and financial restructuring services, with more than 75% of its mandates involving cross-border elements and over 80% of revenues generated from sellside transactions. Its primary clients are private equity sponsors, large multinational corporates, and founders or family-owned businesses seeking premium advice on ownership transitions, exits and acquisitions across Asia and between Asia and Western markets.
Geographically, BDA operates from nine offices across North America (New York), Europe (London) and Asia (Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo), staffed by 120+ bankers. The firm is consistently ranked the #1 cross-border Asian sellside M&A advisor by Dealogic (2016–2024) for control transactions up to US$1bn enterprise value involving private companies headquartered in China, India, Japan, Korea or Southeast Asia, and was named Investment Banking Firm of the Year – Asia Pacific by M&A Advisor (2024) and Investment Bank of the Year at the VCCircle Awards India (2026).
The business model is built on enterprise, relationship-driven advisory engagements. Revenue is generated from transaction-based advisory fees structured as a percentage of deal value, with retainers on selected engagements; revenue is not publicly disclosed. The firm maintains two strategic alliances — with William Blair (2011) and the Development Bank of Japan (2017) — that broaden its distribution and capital access, and operates a complementary capital-markets platform via BDA Capital Partners (established 2020). Its core technology is not proprietary software; the firm competes on banker talent, sector specialization across seven verticals (Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services, Sustainability, Technology), and the depth of its regional coverage across Asia.
BDA Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BDA Partners
- Legal name
- BDA Partners
- Website
- https://bdapartners.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- BDA Partners is a private, Asia-focused cross-border M&A advisory firm advising private equity sponsors, multinational corporates and founders on sellside M&A, capital raising, secondaries and restructuring across nine global offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BDA Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Investment Banking Advisory
- NAICS
- Finance and Insurance (52)
- SIC
- International Affairs (9721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cross-Border M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Buy-Side M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAB)
Keywords
Where BDA Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
BDA Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- M&A Advisory Fees: BDA Partners generates revenue through advisory fees from sellside and buyside M&A transactions, capital raising engagements, and financial restructuring mandates. The firm specializes in cross-border transactions with more than 75% of transactions involving cross-border elements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Transaction-based advisory fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels10 records
BDA Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BDA Partners is a global investment banking advisory firm providing cross-border M&A advisory, capital raising, secondary transactions, and financial restructuring services to corporates and financial sponsors. With 120+ bankers across nine offices in North America, Europe and Asia, the firm specializes in Asia-related transactions and is the #1 cross-border Asian sellside M&A advisor by Dealogic (2016-2024).
Product overview
BDA Partners is an investment banking advisory firm, not a technology product company. The firm provides cross-border M&A advisory, capital raising, secondary transactions, and financial restructuring services to corporate and financial sponsor clients. The company operates as a services business rather than a software product/platform company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cross-border M&A Advisory
- Capital Raising
- Secondary Transactions
- Financial Restructuring
- Financial Sponsors Coverage
Quantifiable outcome
- 80%+ of revenues generated from sellside transactions
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use BDA Partners
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
BDA Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
BDA Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Development Bank of Japan (DBJ)coreGlobal strategic alliance formed in 2017 with Development Bank of Japan, a Japanese government owned bank with total assets of US$150bn. Partnership strengthens BDA's Japan coverage and provides access to Japanese institutional capital and relationships.
- William BlaircoreGlobal strategic alliance formed in 2011 with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business. Partnership enables BDA to provide enhanced cross-border M&A advisory services and expand reach in global markets.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
BDA Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rothschild & Co: Independent global financial advisory group with a long-standing cross-border M&A franchise and significant Asia presence; directly comparable as a partner-led advisor competing for the same sellside mid-market Asia mandates.
- Houlihan Lokey: Premier global mid-market investment bank with strong M&A advisory, capital markets, and restructuring practices; competes with BDA on cross-border mid-market mandates and shares the relationship-driven, senior banker-led model.
- Lincoln International: Global mid-market M&A advisory firm with deep cross-border capabilities and sector-led coverage; competes head-to-head with BDA on Asia-related mid-market sellside mandates and is the closest comparable independent advisor in scale and positioning.
- Robert W. Baird: Privately held global investment bank focused on mid-market M&A, capital raising and advisory; highly comparable to BDA in size, model and cross-border mid-market positioning, particularly for sponsors and founder-led businesses.
Regional players
- Daiwa Securities Group: Japan-headquartered investment bank with regional Asia M&A capabilities; primarily serves Japanese and broader Asian clients, competing with BDA on Japan inbound and outbound Asia mid-market mandates.
Broad incumbents
- Lazard: Global full-service financial advisory and asset management firm with established Asia M&A practice; broader scale and balance sheet than BDA, but overlapping client base in cross-border mid-market sellside mandates.
- Jefferies Financial Group: Full-service global investment banking firm with a growing cross-border M&A franchise; competes with BDA on Asia mid-market advisory while offering ECM/DCM capabilities BDA cannot match.
- Nomura Holdings: Japan-headquartered bulge bracket with deep Asia M&A advisory capabilities; competes for larger Asia-related mandates and offers balance sheet financing that BDA does not, but serves many of the same regional corporate and sponsor clients.
- Evercore: Independent global investment banking advisory firm with significant cross-border M&A capabilities; competes for larger Asia-related mandates and shares the independent, advisory-focused business model with BDA.
Emerging players
- Arma Partners: Independent M&A advisor with strong European tech and digital focus; smaller scale than BDA but comparable independent, cross-border mid-market advisor model targeting similar founder and sponsor clients.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BDA Partners social profiles
Digital presenceBDA Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BDA Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles22 records
BDA Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BDA Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BDA Partners
What does BDA Partners do?
BDA Partners is a global investment banking advisory firm providing cross-border M&A advisory, capital raising, secondary transactions, and financial restructuring services to corporates and financial sponsors. With 120+ bankers across nine offices in North America, Europe and Asia, the firm specializes in Asia-related transactions and is the #1 cross-border Asian sellside M&A advisor by Dealogic (2016-2024).
Is BDA Partners a public or private company?
BDA Partners is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was BDA Partners founded?
BDA Partners was founded in 1996. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is BDA Partners based?
BDA Partners is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does BDA Partners make money?
One revenue line is on record: M&A Advisory Fees.
Who are BDA Partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rothschild & Co, Houlihan Lokey, Lincoln International and Robert W. Baird. Daiwa Securities Group is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Lazard, Jefferies Financial Group, Nomura Holdings and Evercore. Arma Partners is listed as an emerging player.
Does BDA Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for BDA Partners.
What industry is BDA Partners in?
BDA Partners's product category is Investment Banking Advisory. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAGAH, Cross-Border M&A Advisory, with a secondary code of FSAEAGAB, Buy-Side M&A Advisory. Its NAICS code is 52 and its SIC code is 9721.