The Deal magazine recently named William Blair's Adam Filkin as the Consumer/Retail Banker of the Year. Filkin, who joined William Blair in 2007, served as sell-side advisor to several of the fastest-growing, on-trend consumer and retail companies in 2017.
"This award is a testament both to the incredible outcomes that Adam and our colleagues achieved for our clients and to the depth of our consumer and retail team's knowledge of the trends that are shaping the industry," said Brent Gledhill, William Blair's global head of investment banking.
By focusing on the macro tailwinds that are driving growth in attractive customer segments, framing companies' stories through the lens of consumer demand, and maximizing the competitive dynamic among financial sponsors and strategic acquirers, William Blair's consumer and retail team delivered outlier outcomes for many clients in 2017.
Filkin served as lead sell-side advisor on the following M&A transactions in 2017:
- PDC Brands acquired by CVC Capital Partners
- Traeger Wood Pellet Grills acquired by AEA Investors
- OrthoLite acquired by Trilantic North America
- Warn acquired by LKQ
- Huf Worldwide acquired by TSI Holdings
The award winners, announced on June 21, were determined by The Deal's editors. The award comes on the heels of William Blair being named "Investment Bank of the Year" by Mergers & Acquisitions magazine in March 2018.