CKS Finance

What CKS Finance does

CKS Finance is an independent corporate finance and debt advisory firm headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, founded in January 2009 by Conor Sheahan. The firm operates without any proprietary technology platform, deriving its value from senior-led dealmaking expertise, Chartered Accountant credentials across the team, and an established network of Irish and international funders. Since inception, the firm has managed over €1.3 billion in par-value debt for clients and executed 50+ M&A, fundraising, and restructuring transactions across multiple sectors and geographies.

The service portfolio is organized into two primary pillars: Corporate Finance (sell-side advisory, buy-side advisory, debt funding advisory, equity funding advisory, management buy-outs/buy-ins, and valuation services) and Debt Advisory (debt negotiation and settlement, refinance and restructuring), supplemented by funding solutions covering real estate finance and working capital finance. The firm is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for Debt Management services. Client segments include SMEs and owner-managed businesses, private equity houses, businesses with debt challenges, entrepreneurs, founders, and real estate investors. The deal track record spans technology (Sweepr, Moosend, Voysis, Vromo, Yumpingo, Gudog), manufacturing (Ascension Lifts, MSS, McNally), hospitality, childcare, logistics, and EdTech.

CKS monetizes through professional advisory fees on a quote-based engagement model tied to transaction completion fees, advisory retainers, and success-based compensation. The firm is privately held, founder-controlled, and bootstrapped, with no disclosed external funding or institutional shareholders. Services are delivered directly through a Dublin-based senior team of approximately 10 professionals, with cross-border capability extended through founding membership in the 7oceans global M&A alliance covering Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific.

Name

CKS Finance

Legal name

CKS Finance Limited

Website

https://cksfinance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CKS Finance is an independent Dublin-based corporate finance and debt advisory firm founded in 2009, serving SMEs, private equity houses, and entrepreneurs with M&A advisory, fundraising, debt resolution, and valuation services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advisory Fees: CKS Finance generates revenue through professional advisory fees for corporate finance and debt advisory services. Services include sell-side advisory, buy-side advisory, M&A transactions, management buy-outs, valuations, debt negotiation and settlement, real estate finance, and working capital finance. Revenue is earned through transaction completion fees, advisory retainers, and success-based compensation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CKS Finance is an independent corporate finance and debt advisory firm offering sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory, debt and equity funding advisory, management buy-outs/buy-ins, valuations, and debt negotiation, restructuring, and refinancing services. Founded in 2009, the firm has handled over €1.3 billion in par value debt for clients and serves SMEs, family businesses, private equity houses, and entrepreneurs primarily in Ireland with international reach via the 7oceans alliance.

Product overview

CKS Finance is a full-service independent corporate finance house offering a comprehensive suite of advisory and funding solutions. The portfolio comprises two primary service pillars: Corporate Finance (sell-side advisory, buy-side advisory, debt funding advisory, equity funding advisory, management buy-outs & buy-ins, and valuation services) and Debt Advisory (debt negotiation & settlement, and refinance & restructuring). Additional offerings include funding solutions for real estate finance and working capital finance. The firm operates as an integrated advisory practice where these services are often combined to meet client needs across the full deal lifecycle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sell-side Advisory Advisory service for business owners selling their company, involving deal strategy development, target market identification, trade sale process management, and bilateral negotiation approaches to maximize sale outcomes.
• Buy-side Advisory Strategic acquisition advisory for private equity houses, owner-managed businesses and private individuals, covering opportunity identification, target valuation, transaction structuring, and acquisition financing through debt and equity.
• Debt Funding Advisory Advisory service helping companies raise debt capital to support acquisitions, fund growth and development, and refinance existing debt through comprehensive debt structuring, funding sourcing, and deal negotiation support.
• Equity Funding Advisory Independent advice and support throughout the capital-raising process, including strategic goal assessment, financial modelling, investor identification and targeting, marketing material preparation, funding option development, and deal structuring.
• Management Buy-outs & Buy-ins Expert advisory for vendor-backed and bank/private equity backed MBOs and MBIs, covering deal structure, valuation, feasibility assessment, funding sources (vendors, banks, private equity, family offices, alternative lenders), and transaction project management from start to finish.
• Valuation Services Independent, objective and tailored valuation advice supporting shareholders and boards, specializing in dispute resolution consulting, MBO finance raising, transaction advisory for M&A, and shareholder restructuring, with expertise in Irish and international tax valuations.
• Debt Negotiation & Settlement Experienced team working with pillar bank non-performing loan departments, loan servicers and vulture funds since 2009, having dealt with over €1.3 billion in par value debt for clients and negotiating creative debt settlements and refinancing agreements.
• Refinance & Restructuring Independent overview of existing debt facilities and advisory on optimal refinance and restructuring options available in the market, leveraging strong local and international funder networks to source, negotiate and structure debt.
• Real Estate Finance Real estate and commercial property finance expertise leveraging a wide network of Irish and international funders to secure optimal funding terms, including bridging finance, development finance, medium-term and long-term finance for residential, commercial, mixed-use, office, and leisure and hospitality sectors.
• Working Capital Finance Advisory for SME companies on working capital solutions including Invoice Finance, Selective Invoice Financing, Revenue Based Finance, Bank Loans, Business Line of Credit, and Business Overdraft from providers in Irish and international markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over €1.3 billion in par value debt managed for clients since 2009
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• 7oceanscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCKS Finance is a founding member of 7oceans, a global alliance of top-tier independent M&A advisory firms. The alliance provides cross-border transaction capabilities, connecting Irish and European markets with partners across the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and beyond. The partnership enables clients to access international investors, entrepreneurs, and strategic buyers with local market expertise.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cavendish Corporate Finance: Cavendish is a London-based independent M&A and capital advisory boutique focused on UK and Ireland SMEs, mid-market companies and entrepreneurs, offering sell-side, buy-side and fundraising services — the closest international analogue to CKS's positioning.
• Lincoln International: Lincoln International is a global mid-market M&A and debt advisory boutique serving private equity and corporate clients on transactions broadly similar in profile to CKS's mandates, including M&A, capital raising, and restructuring.
• Harris Williams: Harris Williams is a global middle-market investment bank focused on M&A and capital advisory for private equity and entrepreneur-led businesses — comparable to CKS in client orientation, transaction size band, and senior-led engagement model.
• Cairn Corporate Finance: Cairn is an Irish corporate finance advisory firm providing M&A, fundraising, and strategic advisory to Irish SMEs, private equity, and entrepreneurs — directly competitive with CKS in the same client segments and Irish mid-market.
• IBI Corporate Finance: IBI Corporate Finance is an Irish corporate finance advisory boutique offering M&A, fundraisings, and restructuring advice to Irish SMEs and corporates — a direct peer to CKS Finance in market, scale, and service mix. Notably, CKS founder Conor Sheahan trained at IBI before founding CKS.

Broad incumbents

• BDO Ireland: BDO Ireland is a mid-tier accounting and advisory firm with a corporate finance practice covering M&A and fundraising — overlaps directly with CKS but as part of a broader audit and advisory portfolio. CKS founder Conor Sheahan trained at BDO.
• Houlihan Lokey: Houlihan Lokey is a global investment bank and the leading independent advisor in M&A and restructuring. It competes with CKS at the upper end of Irish and European mid-market mandates where restructuring and cross-border expertise come into play.
• KPMG Ireland: KPMG Ireland is a Big Four firm with a corporate finance practice serving mid-market and larger Irish corporates. CKS competes with KPMG on Irish M&A and valuation mandates, while Cillian Daly and other team members have joined CKS from KPMG's Financial Services Audit practice.
• PJT Partners: PJT Partners is a global advisory firm offering M&A, restructuring, and capital markets advisory. It is comparable to CKS's debt advisory and M&A mandates, particularly where cross-border restructuring intersects with Irish SMEs and PE-backed companies.
• Deloitte Ireland: Deloitte Ireland operates a corporate finance practice covering M&A, valuations, and debt advisory as part of its broader advisory suite — competing with CKS for larger Irish mid-market and cross-border mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cks-finance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CKS Finance