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Martin Schwedler: cooperation with Lazard will mean a step up for Raiffeisen |
Austria’s Raiffeisen Investment and Lazard of the US have upped the ante in the mergers and acquisitions stakes in central and eastern Europe with the announcement that they are teaming up to cover the booming M&A advisory market in the region. The marriage between the two firms in late June, which took about nine months to arrange, combines the regional expertise of Raiffeisen Investment, which is already one of central and eastern Europe’s top M&A advisers, with the global clout of Lazard, which is widely acknowledged as one of the leading M&A advisory firms in the rest of the world.
On paper the link-up looks to have a created a potential M&A championship-winning franchise, with Raiffeisen Investment able to leverage the strengths and connections from having the biggest banking network in central and eastern Europe, where parent RZB group operates in 16 countries through Raiffeisen International. On the other side, Lazard brings its blue-blooded investment banking reputation and long track record of mandates from across the globe to the table.