What Caurus Partners does

Caurus Partners is a privately-held, Paris-based boutique corporate advisory firm founded in late 2010 by Olivier Cœnon, a former BNP Paribas Wealth Management Executive Committee member. The firm provides strategic, corporate, and M&A advisory services exclusively to the financial services sector, with a particular focus on private banking, asset management, and insurance. It does not operate in multi-product or cross-sector advisory, positioning itself as conflict-free versus integrated investment banks. Since founding it has executed over 40 disclosed transactions across Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific, with frequent repeat mandates from clients such as UBP (Union Bancaire Privée) and BNP Paribas group entities.

The firm operates with a small senior team - Managing Partner Olivier Cœnon, Partners Akram Ben Mustapha (ex-Freeman & Co./Houlihan Lokey) and Keith Gapp (ex-EFG International Executive Committee, ex-Barclays), plus Senior Advisor Thierry Marais (ex-BNP Paribas EMEA Banks coverage) and a network of senior advisors. There is no proprietary technology platform; the offering is human capital - senior partner involvement from conception through execution, drawing on practitioner experience at major financial institutions combined with transaction advisory pedigree. Revenue is generated through transaction-based advisory fees on completed M&A and strategic mandates, with no publicly disclosed pricing or retainer arrangements.

The firm's value proposition centers on what it characterizes as a "rounded" advisory approach - integrating strategic, operational, and cultural fit evaluation rather than formulaic deal pursuit. Distribution is direct enterprise engagement with financial institution boards, executives, and shareholders. Go-to-market is relationship-driven with limited public marketing footprint. The firm is independently owned by its partners with no disclosed institutional investors or parent entities.

Name

Caurus Partners

Legal name

Caurus Partners

Website

https://cauruspartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Caurus Partners is a Paris-based boutique advisory firm providing strategic, corporate, and M&A advice exclusively to financial services clients in private banking, asset management, and insurance, with a senior partner team executing 40+ transactions since 2010.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Services M&A and Corporate Advisory

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships Advisory (JVs, Alliances, Carve-outs) (BPAHAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA), Corporate Strategy Advisory (BPAHADAA), Strategic Partnerships, Alliances & JVs Advisory (BPAHADAI)

Keywords

• Corporate advisory services
• M&A advisory
• Private banking consulting
• Wealth management advisory
• Financial services consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Corporate Advisory and M&A Advisory Services: Revenue generated through providing strategic, corporate, and M&A advisory services to financial services clients including private banks, asset managers, and insurers. As a boutique advisory firm, revenue is likely generated through transaction-based fees, retainer arrangements, or success fees tied to completed transactions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

Caurus Partners is a boutique corporate advisory firm providing strategic, corporate, and M&A advice exclusively to the financial services sector, with a particular focus on private banking, asset management, and insurance. Partners deliver hands-on, senior-led advisory from strategy formulation through transaction execution, working in close partnership with clients and emphasizing practical evaluation of business, cultural, and integration fit.

Product overview

Caurus Partners is a corporate advisory firm that provides strategic, corporate, and M&A advisory services exclusively to the financial services sector, with a particular focus on private banking, asset management, and insurance. The firm does not offer a software product or technology platform; rather, it delivers human-powered advisory services through a team of senior executives and partners who offer relationship-oriented, hands-on advisory from strategy through execution. No distinct named products, modules, or software offerings were identified in the available sources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Advisory Strategic advisory engagements for financial services clients in private banking, asset management, and insurance, helping management define credible transaction and business strategies anchored in industry context.
• M&A Advisory Buy-side and sell-side M&A advisory for private banks, asset managers, and insurers, including valuation, counterparty identification, negotiation, and execution support delivered by hands-on partners.
• Corporate Advisory and Partnership Services Corporate advisory and partnership support for financial services clients, including business development, partnership formation, and shareholder restructuring assignments across private banking, asset management, and insurance.

Named customers18 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

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Arma Partners: London-based boutique M&A advisor focused on financial services and fintech, with a similarly senior-led model and conflict-free positioning vs. bulge brackets — directly comparable to Caurus's boutique FS M&A niche.
• Clearwater International: European mid-market M&A advisory with a dedicated financial services team and similar senior-led, sector-specialized model targeting mid-sized transactions across Europe.
• DC Advisory: International mid-market M&A advisor with strong European presence and financial services sector coverage, operating a comparable relationship-driven model across cross-border FS transactions.
• Houlihan Lokey: Houlihan Lokey acquired Freeman & Co. (where Caurus partner Akram Ben Mustapha previously worked), making it the closest comparable firm with a dedicated financial services M&A advisory franchise and global mid-market reach.
• Fenchurch Advisory Partners: Independent London-based boutique providing corporate finance advisory exclusively to financial services clients across Europe — virtually identical positioning, focus, and senior-led delivery model to Caurus Partners.

Broad incumbents

• Rothschild & Co: Independent global advisory house with deep European FS franchise and mid-market reach, competing for similar private banking and asset management M&A mandates across Europe.
• Deloitte Corporate Finance: Big 4 corporate finance practice with a dedicated financial services M&A team across Europe, competing for mid-market FS mandates where Caurus also participates.
• Lazard: Global financial advisory firm with established European FS practice, providing M&A and strategic advice to many of the same private banking and asset management clients targeted by Caurus.
• Alvarez & Marsal: Global professional services firm with strong financial services advisory and restructuring practices, overlapping with Caurus on European FS M&A and strategic advisory engagements.
• Evercore: Global independent investment bank with strong financial services M&A practice and senior-led European coverage, competing for larger FS mandates that overlap with Caurus's upper end of deal size.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caurus-partners-sas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Caurus Partners