Ernst & Young wins private equity awards - Ernst & Young - Global

Ernst & Young wins private equity awards

Ernst & Young was rewarded for its efforts in serving private equity by winning 'Generalist Professional Services Firm of the Year’ at the 8th Private Equity Awards on April 22, 2009 in London. Presented by the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA) and Real Deals, the awards are the ultimate accolade for the industry's dealmakers and advisors.

The award process included an interview by the London Business School Private Equity Institute who compiled shortlists for the awards. Factors that put Ernst & Young ahead of its competitors included the firm’s unprecedented step in July 2008 of bringing together 87 different country practices to form a single, coordinated organization that can bring a ‘borderless’ approach to transactions. Another key differentiator was Ernst & Young’s speed of response to the downturn, introducing innovation in how it provided buy-side and sell-side advice, bid defense and a focus on services that help stressed and distressed businesses.

"This award is a clear signal that Ernst & Young is viewed as more innovative than our competitors and is making a leading contribution to the private equity industry at a time when their performance is being challenged by the economic environment and they are facing significantly increased levels of regulation. We now have the platform and confidence to build on this recognition and move on with our drive to achieve market leadership," says EMEIA Private Equity Leader, John Harley, who accepted the award on behalf of the firm at the ceremony held at the Grosvenor House in London on Wednesday evening.

He added, "We should be really proud of our achievement as the award involves a high degree of rigor and is a widely recognized industry standard.”

Ernst & Young was also awarded Acquisitions Monthly 2009 Due Diligence Advisor of the Year award in January 2009, following an impressive move in rankings from number three to number one by advising on 261 deals across EMEIA in 2008.

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