What Clairfield International does

Clairfield International is a private global midmarket M&A and corporate finance advisory firm headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, operating as a partnership network of independent, partner-owned firms across 32+ countries (34 per its privacy policy) on five continents. Its holding company, Clairfield International SA, coordinates a network whose legal entities are separately owned in each jurisdiction — for example, the Italian partner firm is operated within Equita Group (listed on Borsa Italiana's STAR segment), and other partners include Dial Partners in London. The firm targets middle-market companies with enterprise values typically between $50 million and $500 million, alongside family-owned businesses, private equity sponsors, and corporates in six verticals: Business Services, Consumer Goods & Retail, Energy/Cleantech & Resources, Healthcare, Industrials, and Tech/Software & Digital.

Its service offering comprises Mergers & Acquisitions (buy-side, sell-side, and cross-border), Debt & Capital Advisory, Valuations & Strategic Advisory, Family Business Advisory, Recovery & Restructuring, and Private Equity Advisory. The firm's core value proposition is local market expertise paired with international deal execution capability, supported by an annual thought-leadership publication (Clairfield Outlook) and a dedicated training program (Clairfield Academy). The Belgium office holds ISO 9001:2015 certification, indicating institutionalized quality management.

The business model is a professional services fee structure: revenue is generated primarily through transaction-success fees on closed M&A mandates, complemented by retainer fees, debt and capital advisory fees, valuation and strategic advisory fees, and restructuring mandates. Go-to-market is relationship-driven and enterprise-focused, leveraging senior advisor networks, industry events, and direct engagement with corporate decision-makers, family business owners, and PE professionals. The firm does not offer a software product or technology platform; its underlying "technology" is sector-specific analytical methodology, partner-led deal teams, and network connectivity. The firm was co-founded by Filippo Guicciardi and Thierry Chetrit, among others, and is currently led by senior managing partners including Dirk Freiland (Germany) with 251-500 employees globally.

Name

Clairfield International

Legal name

Clairfield International SA

Website

https://clairfield.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Clairfield International is a Geneva-based global midmarket M&A and corporate finance advisory network operating across 32+ countries, serving middle-market companies, family businesses, and private equity sponsors across six industry verticals through partner-owned local firms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

M&A Advisory (Buy-Side & Sell-Side) (BPAHAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Debt & Capital Advisory (Debt Raising, Refinancing, Private Credit) (BPAHAOAD), Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB), Cross-Border M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAH), Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships Advisory (JVs, Alliances, Carve-outs) (BPAHAOAG)

Keywords

• Mergers acquisitions advisory
• Corporate finance advisory
• Midmarket investment banking
• Debt capital advisory
• Private equity advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices33 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. M&A Advisory Fees: Clairfield generates revenue through advisory fees associated with mergers and acquisitions transactions. Fees are typically structured as success fees based on transaction value, retainer fees for ongoing advisory engagements, or a combination of both. As a midmarket M&A specialist, the firm advises on buy-side, sell-side, and cross-border transactions.
2. Capital Advisory Services: Revenue is generated from debt and capital advisory engagements, including debt restructuring, recapitalization, and capital raising advisory. These services complement core M&A offerings and provide additional revenue streams from existing client relationships.
3. Valuation and Strategic Advisory: Fees from standalone valuation engagements, strategic advisory mandates, and family business advisory services. These advisory services provide recurring revenue opportunities and often serve as entry points for larger M&A mandates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Clairfield International is a global midmarket M&A and corporate finance advisory firm providing buy-side and sell-side M&A representation, debt and capital advisory, valuations and strategic advisory, family business advisory, recovery and restructuring, and private equity advisory. Services are delivered through a network of independent partner-owned country firms operating in 32+ jurisdictions, typically advising on transactions valued between $50 million and $500 million across six sectors: Business Services, Consumer Goods & Retail, Energy/Cleantech & Resources, Healthcare, Industrials, and Tech/Software & Digital.

Product overview

Clairfield International is a global midmarket M&A and corporate finance advisory firm operating across 34 countries. The firm provides advisory services through its network of independent partner-owned country firms. Its core service offerings include: Mergers & Acquisitions, Debt & Capital Advisory, Valuations & Strategic Advisory, Family Business Advisory, Recovery & Restructuring, and Private Equity Advisory. The firm specializes in serving middle-market companies, entrepreneurs, family businesses, and institutional investors across multiple sectors including Business Services, Consumer Goods & Retail, Energy/Cleantech & Resources, Healthcare, Industrials, and Tech/Software & Digital. Clairfield does not offer a unified software product or platform; instead, it delivers personalized advisory services through partner-led teams in each country office.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory Full-service M&A advisory providing buy-side and sell-side representation, cross-border transaction execution, and merger integration support for middle-market companies, family businesses, and private equity firms with enterprise values typically between $50 million and $500 million.
• Debt & Capital Advisory Debt and capital advisory services including debt restructuring, recapitalization, and capital raising advisory for corporate clients and PE sponsors, complementing core M&A offerings.
• Valuations & Strategic Advisory Standalone valuation engagements, strategic advisory mandates, and advisory services providing recurring revenue opportunities, often serving as entry points for larger M&A mandates.
• Family Business Advisory Specialized advisory for family businesses seeking to transition ownership, sell to third parties, or restructure for generational continuity, covering succession planning, ownership transition, wealth preservation, and family governance.
• Recovery & Restructuring Recovery and restructuring advisory services for companies facing financial or operational challenges, supporting turnaround, restructuring, and stabilization mandates.
• Private Equity Advisory Advisory support for private equity sponsors covering portfolio company exits, bolt-on acquisitions, platform investments, and secondary sales execution.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lincoln International: Global mid-market M&A advisory firm with comparable sector coverage and cross-border execution capability. Lincoln International competes directly with Clairfield on $50M–$500M enterprise-value mandates across the same vertical sectors (industrials, healthcare, business services, tech).
• Houlihan Lokey: Large global investment bank focused on M&A advisory, capital markets, and financial restructuring services. Houlihan Lokey directly competes with Clairfield on midmarket M&A mandates and offers adjacent restructuring capability that mirrors Clairfield's recovery & restructuring practice.
• Harris Williams: US-headquartered middle-market M&A advisor with sector-focused groups. Harris Williams is a direct competitor for sell-side midmarket transactions in industrials, consumer, healthcare, and technology — the same verticals Clairfield targets.
• William Blair: Global investment bank with midmarket M&A advisory alongside asset management. William Blair competes head-to-head with Clairfield for $50M–$500M enterprise-value transactions, particularly in business services, consumer, healthcare, and industrials.
• Robert W. Baird & Co. Employee-owned global investment bank with a substantial mid-market M&A advisory practice. Baird competes directly with Clairfield on $50M–$500M M&A mandates across industrials, consumer, and technology verticals.
• PJT Partners: Independent advisory-focused investment bank serving M&A, restructuring, and fund placement. PJT Partners competes with Clairfield's recovery & restructuring practice and on larger midmarket M&A mandates.
• Greenhill & Co. Independent global M&A advisor historically focused on mid-to-large transactions. Greenhill's recent restructuring and merger with Mizuho reduces but does not eliminate direct competitive overlap with Clairfield's sell-side M&A practice.
• Stout: Global advisory firm specializing in valuation, M&A, and restructuring. Stout is a direct competitor in midmarket M&A and valuation advisory, with overlap in family business and restructuring mandates.

Broad incumbents

• EY-Parthenon: Big-4 strategy and transactions advisory practice providing M&A, divestiture, and corporate finance services. EY-Parthenon competes with Clairfield on midmarket M&A mandates while offering a broader portfolio of services.
• KPMG Corporate Finance: Big-4 advisory practice offering mid-market M&A, deal advisory, and valuation services. KPMG Corporate Finance competes with Clairfield across cross-border midmarket mandates and benefits from broader firm-wide client relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/905064

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Clairfield International