BDA
BDA Partners is an Asia-focused independent investment advisory firm founded in 1994, serving private equity, hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds, and multinational corporations with M&A advisory, deal sourcing, and equity research across nine global offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersBeijing, China
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BDA does
BDA Partners is an Asia-focused independent investment advisory firm founded in 1994 by Duncan Clark and headquartered in Beijing, with a planned relocation of its principal office to Singapore in January 2026. The firm operates nine offices across New York, London, Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo, employing between 251 and 500 professionals, and serves private equity funds, hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds, and multinational corporations.
The firm delivers independent equity research, deal sourcing, valuation, financial modeling, and M&A advisory services, with deep sector coverage spanning consumer internet, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, healthcare, and artificial intelligence. Its revenue model combines advisory fees on M&A and capital-raising mandates with subscription revenue from equity research products distributed to institutional investors. In 2025 the firm announced more than 20 transactions, including the $2.35B Coforge-Encora acquisition, and in early January 2026 announced strategic partnerships with William Blair and the Development Bank of Japan to broaden cross-border deal flow.
BDA's client roster includes marquee institutional names such as Advent, Warburg Pincus, and Frasers, and the firm is recognized for its long-standing relationships with Asia's leading founders and corporates. The firm has signaled continued investment in advanced AI tools to enhance research productivity, while positioning its 30-year brand, sector specialization, and global office footprint as the principal differentiators versus both bulge-bracket and local competitors.
BDA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BDA
- Legal name
- BDA Consulting Pte Ltd
- Website
- https://bda.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- BDA Partners is an Asia-focused independent investment advisory firm founded in 1994, serving private equity, hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds, and multinational corporations with M&A advisory, deal sourcing, and equity research across nine global offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BDA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Investment Banking Advisory
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities (523999)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fairness Opinions & Independent Board Advice (FSAEAGAF)
Keywords
Where BDA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Beijing
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices11 records
Markets served
BDA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Advisory Fees: BDA provides investment advisory services to financial institutions and corporations, earning fees for research, deal sourcing, valuation, financial modeling, and M&A support
- Equity Research Subscriptions: On-going tracking and customized, company-specific equity research provided to listed company clients on a subscription basis
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
BDA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BDA is an independent investment advisory firm providing market research, deal sourcing, valuation, financial modeling, and M&A support to financial institutions and selected multinational corporations across Asian markets. The firm also delivers on-going and customized company-specific equity research for listed companies on a subscription basis, focused on dynamic sectors including consumer Internet, advanced manufacturing, AI, semiconductors, healthcare, and consumer products.
Product overview
BDA is an investment advisory firm founded in 1994 that provides independent research and advisory services to help investors make profitable investment decisions. The firm offers a unified suite of advisory services including market research, target company evaluation, risk and opportunity assessment, deal sourcing, valuation, financial modeling, and M&A support. BDA does not offer distinct product modules or branded software offerings; rather, it delivers consulting-based advisory services to financial institutions (private equity, hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds) and multinational corporations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use BDA
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BDA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
BDA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- William BlaircoreStrategic partnership with William Blair as part of BDA's global network of investment banking relationships
- Development Bank of JapancoreStrategic partnership with Development Bank of Japan to support investment advisory services in Japanese markets
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BDA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- China Renaissance: Beijing-headquartered boutique investment bank focused on cross-border M&A, capital markets, and advisory for China and global tech, consumer, and healthcare companies — directly comparable to BDA's China-anchored advisory model and target client base of PE and growth-stage founders.
- Hampleton Partners: Global tech-focused M&A advisory boutique with strong Asia coverage, serving PE and strategic buyers in software, AI, and digital commerce — comparable to BDA in deal size, target client mix (PE/hedge funds), and vertical focus on Asia tech and consumer Internet.
- Lincoln International: Global mid-market M&A advisory firm with significant Asia-Pacific presence and dedicated consumer, technology, and healthcare vertical teams — competes directly with BDA for cross-border Asia mid-market mandates from PE sponsors and corporates.
- William Blair: US-headquartered global investment banking and asset management firm with a strategic partnership with BDA — comparable as an independent mid-market advisor with sector focus (tech, healthcare) and an active cross-border practice.
Broad incumbents
- Moelis & Company: Global independent investment bank providing M&A, restructuring, and capital markets advisory across Asia, the US, and Europe — broader in scope and scale than BDA but competes for the same sponsor-led cross-border mandates in Asia.
- Houlihan Lokey: Large global independent advisory firm with deep M&A, financing, and restructuring practices and growing Asia-Pacific operations — overlaps with BDA in cross-border M&A advisory and serves similar PE and corporate clients at somewhat larger transaction sizes.
- Lazard: Global financial advisory and asset management firm with substantial Asia M&A franchise — competes with BDA for high-end cross-border Asia advisory mandates, particularly Japan and Greater China, although at significantly larger scale and broader service offering.
- Evercore: Independent global investment banking advisory firm with strong M&A practice and Asia presence — comparable to BDA's independence-focused positioning and serves a similar sponsor and large-cap corporate client base.
- Jefferies: Global full-service investment bank with a sizable Asia M&A and capital markets franchise — competes with BDA in mid-to-large cap Asia tech, consumer, and healthcare deals, particularly Japan and India.
- Centerview Partners: US-based elite independent advisory firm focused on M&A and restructuring with selective global reach — comparable to BDA in independence and senior-led execution, though concentrated at the larger end of the mid-market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BDA social profiles
Digital presenceBDA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BDA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
BDA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BDA 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
What does BDA do?
BDA is an independent investment advisory firm providing market research, deal sourcing, valuation, financial modeling, and M&A support to financial institutions and selected multinational corporations across Asian markets. The firm also delivers on-going and customized company-specific equity research for listed companies on a subscription basis, focused on dynamic sectors including consumer Internet, advanced manufacturing, AI, semiconductors, healthcare, and consumer products.
Is BDA a public or private company?
BDA is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was BDA founded?
BDA was founded in 1994. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is BDA based?
BDA is headquartered in Beijing, China, in the Asia region.
How does BDA make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Advisory Fees are the primary driver. The others are equity Research Subscriptions.
Who are BDA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are China Renaissance, Hampleton Partners, Lincoln International and William Blair. Broad incumbents are Moelis & Company, Houlihan Lokey, Lazard, Evercore, Jefferies and Centerview Partners.
Does BDA have an API?
No public API is recorded for BDA.
What industry is BDA in?
BDA's product category is Investment Banking Advisory. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAGAF, Fairness Opinions & Independent Board Advice. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.