Clearwater International expands into the Netherlands with PhiDelphi

Clearwater International has expanded its wings into the Netherlands with the addition of PhiDelphi Corporate Finance, a boutique mid-market M&A advisory with 13 staff.

Headquartered in London, Clearwater International advises entrepreneurs, corporates and investors on mergers & acquisitions and company sales through to management buy-outs and fundraising transactions.

With the addition of Utrecht-based PhiDelphi Corporate Finance, the M&A consulting firm now has 350 staff working from 17 offices throughout Europe, and a number of further offices in North America (powered by a strategic alliance with KeyBanc Capital Markets) and Asia. 

Julian Brown, chief executive officer at Clearwater International, said that the entry into the Netherlands comes in response to growing demand for transaction-related services in the country, both from international clients as well as local clients.

“The Benelux region has been a strategic focus for us as client demands for a presence there have grown. We are therefore delighted to welcome the PhiDelphi team into Clearwater International,” said Brown.

Founded in 2001, PhiDelphi Corporate Finance has since its inception grown into a leading player in the Dutch mid-market landscape. Since its inception, the firm has helped close over 250 transactions, a third of which were cross-border.

“That is why this is an important step for us,” said Willem Daris, partner at PhiDelphi. “This merger fits in seamlessly with the growing cross-border character of our engagements. Joining one of the leading market advisors in the European league tables will enable us to tap into an international network and add further knowledge.”

The joining of forces will also benefit the firm’s employees, added Harald Miedema, partner at PhiDelphi. “This merger will open up more development opportunities for our people across all levels – from analyst to partner. Take international working as an example: we now become a more interesting employer for talent who also want to develop their skills outside the Netherlands.”

For founding partner Joris Heerkens, the move is the crown on the past 22 years. “We are proud of our history, with many highlights,” he said. “In recent years we have developed strongly, with many great deals, an increasing visibility in the marketplace and a growing team. We now look forward to our next chapter together with Clearwater International.”

As part of the integration, PhiDelphi Corporate Finance will rebrand as Clearwater International. Partners Joris Heerkens, Harald Miedema and Willem Daris will remain partners at the firm.

Clearwater International’s other European offices are based in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.