Hi, I’m Chris Walton, author of this guide and CEO of Eton Venture Services.
I’ve spent much of my career working as a corporate transactional lawyer at Gunderson Dettmer, becoming an expert in tax law & venture financing. Since starting Eton, I’ve completed thousands of business valuations for companies of all sizes.
Read my full bio here.
In the 20 years of leading my M&A advisory and valuation firm, I’ve seen firsthand the impact an exceptional M&A consultant can make.
They smooth out your transactions, help you make the best financial decisions, and lift a huge burden off your shoulders.
To help you find an exceptional consultant, I’ve put together this list of the top 7 M&A professionals in 2024, including myself.
Each of us specializes in a niche, so whatever your needs, you’ll find someone who can meet them.
→ If you’re looking for top M&A advisory firms, please check out our other guide: 7 Top M&A Advisory Firms in the US in 2024
Here are the key factors to consider to find an exceptional M&A consultant:
Criteria | Importance |
Experience & Expertise | Experience and expertise are crucial indicators of a consultant’s ability to navigate the complexities of M&A. An experienced consultant knows how to manage the complex M&A process and can spot problems before they escalate. Always check how many years he has worked in M&A. |
Specialization | A consultant who specializes in your particular industry will be deeply familiar with the unique challenges and opportunities within that field. They will have a nuanced understanding of the following:
These are all key for advising on and managing successful mergers. Check for past work and clients in your particular sector to gauge their specialization. |
Reputation & Credibility | The reputation and credibility of a consultant are key signs of their reliability and the quality of their work. Check testimonials from past customers or ask for references. |
Customer Service & Support | Excellent customer service and support are critical in an M&A process. Your consultant should promptly answer all your concerns. They should also offer ongoing support after the deal, as issues may arise later. Make sure to check if the consultant can defend the M&A valuations in court if needed—this is an important benefit I offer. |
In this article, I’ll go into how my team and I at Eton Venture Services excels in these areas.
I’ll also introduce you to six other M&A consultants, each excelling in their specialization areas.
Here are the top 7 top M&A consultants I recommend from my decades of experience in the industry:
And here’s a summary table at a glance:
Name | Years of Experience | Company & Title | M&A Specialization | Based in |
Chris Walton | 20+ | President & CEO at Eton Venture Services | Private equity firms, investors, and high-net-worth Individuals | Austin, TX |
Bindi Patel | 20+ | Senior Associate at Piedmont M&A Advisors | Small to mid-sized businesses | Atlanta, GA |
Don Keysser | 35+ | Managing Principal at Hannover Ltd | Tech-focused small to medium-sized private companies | Minneapolis, MN |
Yasmin Atefi | 10+ | Vice President at AEC Advisors | Transportation, manufacturing, and professional business services sectors | New York City, NY |
Christine Chen | 20 | Senior Consultant at La Piana Consulting | Nonprofit sector | New York, NY |
Jack Simonian | 13+ | Managing Principal at Blackcastle Partners | Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) Sector | Las Vegas, Nevada |
Michael Gravel | 30 | Founder and Managing Partner at iMerge Advisors | Small & Midcap Software & Technology Sector | Greater Seattle Area |
Below, I’ll explain why I recommend them.
Name: Chris Walton
Company: Eton Venture Services
Title: President & CEO
Years of Experience: 20+
M&A Specialization: Private equity firms, investors, and high-net-worth individuals
Based in: Austin, TX
As a former Gunderson lawyer, I co-founded my M&A advisory and valuation firm, Eton, back in 2010.
Since then, I’ve helped over 1000+ private equity firms, investors, and high-net-worth individuals with both sales and acquisitions and all the advisory support and valuations needed in between.
I specifically work with companies with revenues between $5M and $150M.
My philosophy since day 1 is to provide audit-proof, robust, and prompt valuation support, tailored to the complexities of M&A transactions, while eliminating the tedious back-and-forth often encountered with other firms.
When I take on a client, I ensure I fully understand your business, consider all financial data and factors, and provide defensible opinions of value using appropriate valuation methods.
Client service is my creed, and I make sure that every client is thoroughly supported before, during, and after M&A transactions. Anything you need, I’m always one call or email away! 📩
I’m also very proud of the global team we’ve put together at Eton. They’re all Big-4-trained CFAs, who are not just experts in their field but also share our ethos of unparalleled client service.
Here’s what our past clients have to say about us:
→ For more testimonials, you can check out this page. ←
So, how do I stack up against the four key factors I mentioned above?
Experience & Expertise | I have 20+ years of professional experience and provide high-quality audit-defensible valuations and advisory engagements in a timely manner. |
Specialization | I specialize in valuation services for companies with revenues between $5M and $150M, with a focus on industries like technology, finance, and legal. |
Reputation & Credibility | Some of my past clients include: Dutchie, Cedar, Healthcare Highways, Inc., Spring Health, Joby Aviation, Guru Technologies, Handle Financial, Inxeption, Mudflap, Definitive Intelligence, Vestaboard, The Again Co., Oklo, Substack, Northwoods Capital Management. Feel free to check out their testimonials here. |
Customer Service & Support | I offer ongoing support even after our work is done and can defend M&A valuations in court if necessary. This ensures that you get great service throughout and beyond the transaction process. |
And here’s how I can help you:
Whether you need to value your intangible assets or need advice on deals, I’m here to help.
Below are the range of services we offer at Eton:
Assess target companies, divisions, or assets to help determine appropriate bidding prices, negotiation strategies, and optimal structures while identifying potential risks and synergies.
Evaluate the sustainability and quality of a target company’s earnings, providing insights into its financial health and potential for future growth.
Perform fair value assessments of tangible and intangible assets acquired in a business combination, ensuring compliance with financial reporting standards.
Assist clients in conducting annual goodwill impairment tests to determine if any write-downs are required, adhering to relevant accounting standards.
Appraise intellectual property assets, such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, licenses, and customer lists, which are critical components of many M&A transactions.
Provide independent fairness opinions to boards of directors, ensuring that proposed transactions are fair to shareholders from a financial perspective.
Offer guidance and support throughout the M&A process, from due diligence and deal negotiation to closing and post-transaction integration, addressing both financial and strategic aspects.
Provide expert valuation and financial analysis services for M&A-related litigation, including purchase price disputes, earnout disputes, and breach of contract claims.
At Eton, my team and I can deliver M&A valuation reports and advisory within 10 days.
Provided we have all the necessary documents and data, we can even complete it in as short as 1 day (at an extra fee).
Connect with me on LinkedIn here, or reach out to me for your M&A advisory needs.
🎉 Fun Fact: I spent nearly seven years of my life working in Southern Japan and I can speak Japanese!
Name: Bindi Patel
Company: Piedmont M&A Advisors
Title: Senior Associate
Years of Experience: 20+
M&A Specialization: Small to mid-sized businesses
Based in: Atlanta, GA
Bindi Patel is a key consultant at Piedmont M&A Advisors, bringing over 20 years of experience from her hometown of Atlanta, GA.
As a Senior Associate, she advises small to mid-sized firms on purchasing, selling, and financing businesses.
Bindi counsels on both domestic and international transactions, with clients across the public and private sectors including:
Her expertise extends to ESG consulting, covering topics such as:
🎉 Fun Fact: Bindi is an avid traveler and has lived in various cities worldwide.
Name: Don Keysser
Company: Hannover Ltd
Title: Managing Principal
Years of Experience: 35+
M&A Specialization: Small-medium size privately held tech companies
Based in: Minneapolis, MN
Don Keysser is the managing principal at Hannover Ltd with over 40 years of experience across:
Throughout his M&A career, he has managed over 2.5 billion dollars in financing and led project teams for both domestic and international projects.
He has also secured financing for over 250 projects and is a published author of journal articles.
Additionally, he teaches MBA-level courses in financial management, capital markets, global finance, and corporate finance.
He is associated with multiple professional associations including:
🎉 Fun Fact: Don teaches MBA classes at Saint Mary’s University and he’s a Senior Lecturer at Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota.
Name: Yasmin Atefi
Company: AEC Advisors
Title: Vice President
Years of Experience: 10+
M&A Specialization: Transportation, manufacturing, and professional business services sectors
Based in: New York, NY
Yasmin Atefi is the Vice President at AEC Advisors and is based in New York City.
At AEC, Yasmin focuses on mergers & acquisitions, private equity transactions, and corporate finance consulting.
She has an impressive previous experience in investment banking at Goldman Sachs as well as JP Morgan Chase. There, she worked in a variety of verticals including:
She is a mechanical engineer by education and has worked at GE Aviation on the assembly and test of military helicopter engines.
🎉 Fun Fact: Yasmin’s interests include skiing, hiking, and NYC Pizza.
Name: Christine Chen
Company: La Piana Consulting
Title: Senior Consultant
Years of Experience: 20
M&A Specialization: Nonprofit sector
Based in: New York, NY
Christine Chen is a Senior M&A consultant specializing in the nonprofit sector, bringing over 20 years of experience, including 12 in senior leadership roles.
She has expertly guided nonprofits through major organizational changes and crises, such as leading STREB Inc. through the pandemic and American Repertory Ballet through a major artistic director change and the 2009 recession.
Christine excels in quantitative data analysis, business strategy, and execution, combining these skills with an adaptive and creative approach to tackling seemingly impossible challenges.
Her commitment to creating positive impact and value is evident in her work with diverse organizations striving for a more just and equitable world.
Christine approaches each project with empathy, humility, and respect, making her an invaluable asset in the nonprofit M&A landscape.
🎉 Fun Fact: Christine enjoys spending time outdoors — hiking, biking, swimming in open waters, or simply chopping and stacking wood.
Name: Jack Simonian
Company: Blackcastle Partners
Title: Managing Principal
Years of Experience: 13+
M&A Specialization: Revenue between $1Mn and $50Mn in the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states
Based in: Las Vegas, Nevada
Jack Simonian specializes in M&A advisory services in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry.
He represents privately-held US and Canadian companies with revenues between $2 million to $100 million.
As the leader of Blackcastle Partners, Jack manages both sell-side and buy-side engagements, providing end-to-end services including sourcing, engaging, developing, and executing M&A opportunities.
Before his M&A career, Jack worked as an architect on large-scale commercial projects for one of the world’s largest retail property developers.
His deep industry knowledge and diversified skill set form a strong foundation for his current role, allowing him to offer valuable expertise to his clients.
🎉 Fun Fact: Jack is fluent in four languages.
Name: Michael Gravel
Company: iMerge Advisors
Title: Founder and Managing Partner
Years of Experience: 30
M&A Specialization: Revenue between $1Mn and $50Mn in the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states
Based in: Greater Seattle Area
Michael Gravel brings nearly 30 years of senior-level executive operations, fundraising, private equity, venture capital, M&A, and investment banking experience within the technology sector.
Prior to founding iMerge, Michael held senior executive positions at financial software technology firms where he managed and integrated several acquisitions, such as:
Over the past 25 years, he has successfully executed more than 125 transactions in the small to mid-size software and technology sector, totaling over $1 billion in value.
His deep industry knowledge and dedication to his clients have cemented his position as a trusted advisor in the tech M&A landscape.
Beyond his professional achievements, Michael is actively engaged in several charitable organizations.
🎉 Fun Fact: Michael was awarded the biggest honor of the Big Brother/Big Sister program: Big Brother of the Year.
Have more questions about M&A consultants? I answered them below:
An M&A consultant provides expert advice and guidance throughout the process of mergers and acquisitions.
Their responsibilities include:
They manage due diligence, ensuring all financial, legal, and operational aspects are meticulously reviewed.
M&A consultants also facilitate communication between parties, mitigate risks, and help structure the deal to achieve the best possible outcome for their clients.
Their goal is to ensure a smooth transaction that aligns with their client’s strategic objectives.
An M&A advisor can provide invaluable expertise, reduce risks, and streamline the complex process of mergers and acquisitions.
Consider the following checklist to decide if you need an advisor:
I talked about the four factors you should look for in an exceptional M&A consultant at the beginning of the article.
But here’s a gist of what you should look for:
Schedule a free consultation meeting to discuss your M&A or valuation needs.
Chris Walton, JD, is is President and CEO and co-founded Eton Venture Services in 2010 to provide mission-critical valuations to private companies. He leads a team that collaborates closely with each client’s leadership, board of directors, internal / external counsel, and independent auditors to develop detailed financial models and create accurate, audit-ready valuations.
