Kroll enhances its corporate finance offering for boards and private equity sponsors by expanding its Duff & Phelps Opinions team in London

Kroll, the leading independent provider of global risk and financial advisory solutions, has accelerated the growth of its fairness opinion capabilities by expanding its Duff & Phelps Opinions practice in London. This development builds on Kroll’s European growth and strengthens its position as the world’s leading provider of fairness opinions. In January 2022, the company announced the completion of its transition to a unified Kroll brand.

The expansion of the Duff & Phelps Opinions team in London strengthens Kroll’s services to the corporate, private equity and investment banking sectors in the UK and EMEA. The firm is led by two senior members now based in London: David Lee, from Kroll’s New York office, and Dr. Simon von Witzleben, from Kroll’s Munich office.

The Duff & Phelps Opinions team will provide equity opinions for private equity mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, financings, de-SPAC transactions and related and secondary party transactions. A key focus of the team will be to provide fairness opinions for secondary transactions conducted by GPs, given the significant growth in such transactions in recent years.

This expansion into London follows Kroll’s long-standing success in the EMEA market. The company was ranked first in the EMEA region in 2021 by Refinitiv for the total number of equity opinions rendered, totaling approximately $24 billion in transaction value.

David Lee, Managing Director of Duff & Phelps Opinions by Kroll, London, said: “This expansion into London marks a new chapter for Duff & Phelps Opinions by Kroll. We have been one of the world’s leading providers of fairness opinions for 10 years and London, one of the world’s leading financial centres, is the natural base of operations for our European practice. Our aim is to build on the success we have enjoyed across EMEA and globally, while maintaining our reputation for providing the highest quality independent advice to management, boards of directors, boards of oversight, special committees and other trustees.

Dr Simon Von Witzleben, Principal of Kroll’s Duff & Phelps Opinions practice in London, added: “As markets face a number of new macroeconomic challenges, we expect our London practice to also provide valuation advice and opinions in the context of a large-scale restructuring. operations in the years to come. In this regard, we will work closely with our colleagues in the M&A Advisory and Debt Advisory teams, expanding the range of relevant and independent advice we can offer to clients in the private equity and investment banking industry, thus creating a truly holistic service.

About Kroll

As the leading independent provider of risk and financial advisory solutions, Kroll leverages its unique knowledge, data and technology to help clients stay ahead of complex demands. Kroll’s team of more than 6,500 professionals worldwide continues the company’s nearly 100-year history of trusted expertise spanning risk, governance, transactions and valuation. Our advanced solutions and intelligence provide clients with the foresight they need to create a sustainable competitive advantage. At Kroll, our values ​​define who we are and how we work with customers and communities. Learn more at Kroll.com.