US-based investment bank Evercore has announced its acquisition of London-headquartered boutique advisory firm Robey Warshaw for £146 million (approximately USD 196 million), marking one of its most significant strategic expansions into the UK and Europe to date.
The deal, which will be paid in two equal tranches — the first in Evercore shares and the second in either cash or shares after 12 months — is expected to complete in early Q4 2025. Performance-based earnouts may follow in subsequent years. Evercore has confirmed the acquisition will be accretive to both Adjusted and GAAP EPS in the first full year following completion.
Founded in 2013 by former Morgan Stanley and UBS bankers Simon Robey, Simon Warshaw, and Philip Apostolides, Robey Warshaw has built an outsized reputation despite its lean structure. With around 18 staff and five partners, the firm posted approximately £86 million in revenue in 2024, driven by an exclusive focus on high-value mandates and personalised client advisory.
The boutique has advised on several of the UK’s most high-profile deals, including AB InBev’s £79 billion takeover of SABMiller, SoftBank’s £24 billion acquisition of Arm, and the London Stock Exchange’s $27 billion Refinitiv purchase. Its deep roster of influential partners includes former UK Chancellor George Osborne and, more recently, Chetan Singh, who became a partner in 2024.
Commenting on the deal, Evercore Chairman and CEO John S. Weinberg said Robey Warshaw brings “extraordinary, long-standing relationships” and strengthens Evercore’s “global platform.” Matthew Lindsey-Clark, co-head of Evercore’s EMEA investment banking division, called Robey Warshaw a “highly respected firm” whose team is “highly complementary” to Evercore’s existing advisory business.
For Evercore, the acquisition provides instant credibility and scale in a market where it has historically maintained a modest presence. The firm will gain enhanced access to top-tier UK mandates and strengthen its ability to compete with bulge-bracket institutions such as Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley, as well as boutique rivals like Lazard and Moelis.
Analysts view the transaction as a significant strategic win. In a departure from the common earn-out model used to secure key talent, Evercore is acquiring Robey Warshaw’s full enterprise value — a move that reflects confidence in the boutique’s enduring profitability and institutional strength.
The transaction also comes amid a rebound in the UK M&A market, driven by renewed cross-border activity, easing regulatory barriers under the NSIA regime, and increased private equity appetite. By combining Robey Warshaw’s elite sector expertise in areas such as energy and telecoms with Evercore’s broader advisory capabilities, the firm expects to deepen its position across nine EMEA markets with over 400 bankers.
Simon Robey noted that clients would “continue to get the personal attention” they value while benefiting from “greater global reach,” describing Evercore as “the right home for all of us.”
