What The CFI Group does

The CFI Group, legally Corporate Finance International B.V., is a private M&A and corporate finance advisory firm headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2006. The firm operates as a global network of independent member firms providing sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory, capital raising, restructuring and distressed situations consulting, and business valuations to middle-market clients worldwide. As of the most recent data, CFI operates 29 offices across 19 countries with 300+ professionals and 16 dedicated international sector teams spanning Aerospace & Defence, Automotive, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Software & IT Services, Industrials, and others.

The firm serves three core customer segments: middle-market companies, private equity investors, and entrepreneurs/management teams planning exits, capital raises, or strategic transactions. Revenue is generated through professional services fees on a transaction-fee basis, with deal size, complexity, and engagement scope driving pricing. Notable transactions include advising SGS on the acquisition of Fulcrum Robotics, Japan Aviation Electronics on the acquisition of Tooltronix, Sumitomo Forestry on the divestiture of multiple subsidiaries, and Shizuoka Financial Group on the acquisition of an 80% stake in Tokyo Gas.

CFI's go-to-market relies on senior advisor relationships, industry events (IPEM Cannes, internal CFI Conferences), industry publication partnerships (Flexmarkt, Service Management), and referral networks. The firm has no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no public listing. Strategically, it has built deep local market access through partnerships such as with Helbling Group in Switzerland and Frontier Management Inc. in Japan, and continues to expand into emerging markets including Vietnam, India, and Brazil. The technology footprint is limited to standard marketing analytics tools; CFI is fundamentally a human-led professional services franchise.

Name

The CFI Group

Legal name

Corporate Finance International B.V.

Website

https://thecfigroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The CFI Group is a global M&A and corporate finance advisory firm serving the worldwide middle market, operating through 29 offices in 19 countries with 300+ professionals across 16 sector teams. It provides sell-side, buy-side, capital raising, restructuring, and valuation services to entrepreneurs, private equity investors, and middle-market companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Finance Advisory

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Finance Advisory (Strategic Finance, Capital Structure & Recaps) (FSAEAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB)

Keywords

• M&A advisory services
• Corporate finance advisory
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Sell-side advisory
• Capital raising services

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices30 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. M&A Advisory Services: CFI generates revenue through professional services fees for M&A sell-side and buy-side advisory, capital raising, restructuring and distressed situations, and business valuations. The firm acts as a trusted corporate finance lead advisor providing independent advice to middle-market clients worldwide.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Corporate Finance International (CFI) is a corporate finance lead advisor providing M&A and financial advisory services to the worldwide middle market. The firm delivers M&A sell-side and buy-side advisory, capital raising, restructuring and distressed situations consulting, and valuations and opinions, executed by senior advisors with 25+ years of experience across a global network of 29 offices in 19 countries.

Product overview

The CFI Group operates as a corporate finance advisory firm offering a unified set of M&A and financial advisory services. The core offerings include M&A sell-side advisory, M&A buy-side advisory, capital raising, restructuring and distressed situations consulting, and valuations and opinions. These services are delivered through 16 international sector teams covering Aerospace & Defence, Automotive, Business Services, Chemicals, Consumer Goods & Retail, Energy/Environment/Natural Resources, Food & Beverage & Agribusiness, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Industrials, Machinery, Media & Telecom, Paper/Plastics & Packaging, Private Equity, Real Estate & Construction, Software & IT Services, and Transport & Logistics. CFI is not a software or technology product company—it is a professional services firm providing human-led advisory services across its global network of 29 offices in 19 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• M&A Sell-Side Advisory Advisory services guiding business owners through the sale process, from market analysis and buyer identification to contract negotiation and deal execution. Designed for entrepreneurs, private equity investors, and management teams planning to sell their businesses.
• M&A Buy-Side Advisory Advisory services supporting companies in identifying acquisition targets, conducting due diligence, and executing buy-side transactions. Designed for corporates and private equity investors growing through acquisitions.
• Capital Raising Services helping businesses secure funding through financial analysis, market positioning, and connection to investors and partners. Designed for middle-market companies seeking growth or acquisition capital.
• Restructuring & Distressed Situations Turnaround and restructuring consultancy services for companies facing financial distress, including stakeholder management and recovery strategies. CFI Switzerland has rescued more than 300 firms from crises that threatened their existence.
• Valuations & Opinions Business valuation and opinion services for informed decision-making and long-term success, supporting M&A, capital raising, and corporate planning engagements.

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Helbling GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFI Switzerland is an independent M&A advisor supported by the complementary competencies of the Helbling Group, Switzerland's largest independent engineering and consulting group. Headquartered in Zurich with offices in Germany, China, and the US, the Helbling Group employs more than 500 professionals in management consulting, M&A, turnaround management, innovation/product development, IT, real estate, energy and infrastructure.
• LinkedInminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCFI uses LinkedIn Insight Tag for campaign reporting, retargeting website visitors, and gaining insights about visitors interacting with LinkedIn adverts.
• FlexmarktminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFI cooperates with industry magazine Flexmarkt for market research on the Dutch HR services/flexible labour market, producing annual analyses and top transaction reviews.
• Service ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFI cooperates with Service Management magazine for annual market research on the Dutch cleaning industry, analyzing sector revenue, employment, and transaction data.
• Frontier Management Inc.coreOthersCFI Japan operates under the Frontier Management Inc. brand, providing M&A advisory, management consulting, management executive support, and business regeneration support. Serves as gateway to fastest growing markets of South East Asia.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Houlihan Lokey: Global investment bank specializing in M&A advisory, capital markets, and financial restructuring. Directly comparable to CFI in mid-market M&A and restructuring services, though operating as a unified, publicly listed firm at significantly larger scale.
• Lincoln International: Global mid-market investment bank focused on M&A advisory and private capital raising. Direct peer to CFI with comparable cross-border mid-market deal focus, similar sector team structure, and similar client base of PE sponsors and entrepreneurs.
• DC Advisory: International investment bank providing M&A and corporate finance advisory across the mid-market. Direct peer with a similarly distributed European and Asian footprint, comparable sector specializations, and a focus on cross-border mid-market transactions.
• Alantra: Independent financial advisory firm providing M&A, debt advisory, and asset management services to mid-market clients. Direct peer with overlapping sector coverage and cross-border mid-market M&A focus, with similar geographic spread across Europe, Americas, and Asia.
• Clearwater International: Independent corporate finance advisor focused on mid-market M&A in Europe and selected global markets. Direct peer with highly comparable deal size focus, similar sector specializations, and overlapping PE client base.
• Livingstone Partners: Global mid-market M&A advisor with offices across Europe, North America, and Asia. Direct peer offering comparable sell-side, buy-side, and financing advisory services to mid-market and growth-stage companies.
• Drake Star: Global technology-focused investment bank providing M&A advisory in software, digital media, and tech-enabled services. Direct peer in the Software & IT Services and Technology sector teams that CFI covers, with comparable cross-border mid-market deal execution.

Broad incumbents

• Stifel Financial: Large diversified financial services firm with global investment banking operations including mid-market M&A advisory. A broad incumbent competitor offering overlapping M&A capabilities as part of a much larger institutional brokerage and wealth management platform.
• Robert W. Baird: Employee-owned, international financial services firm with a sizable global investment banking division focused on middle-market M&A. Broad incumbent with overlapping mid-market M&A and capital raising services, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Jefferies Financial Group: Full-service global investment banking and capital markets firm with significant mid-market M&A advisory presence. Broad incumbent competing with CFI on larger middle-market transactions, particularly cross-border deals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thecfigroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/corporate-finance-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 The CFI Group