Celebrating Excellence in M&A: IMAP Awards 2024 Winners Announced
As IMAP celebrates another standout year in the mid-market M&A space, we are proud to announce the recipients of the IMAP Awards 2024, honoring outstanding dealmakers and exceptional cross-border transactions across the globe.
This year, IMAP professionals successfully closed 252 M&A transactions totaling over USD 30 billion, along with 60 Debt Advisory mandates worth over USD 4 billion—testament to our relentless pursuit of excellence.
The awards were presented during IMAP’s 2025 Spring Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, and reflect the dedication, innovation, and collaboration of our partners worldwide.
DEALMAKER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Jean-Luc Zeguers, IMAP Netherlands
Jean-Luc was involved in 9 transactions in 2024. With the addition of Jean-Luc, alongside the former 1602 Capital Partners team, IMAP Netherlands has further strengthened its dealmaking capabilities and solidified its position as the leading mid-market M&A advisor in the Netherlands.
COLLABORATIVE IMAP DEAL
Saroafrica / SIAT
Winners:
VINCENT JAMAER, Degroof Petercam - IMAP Belgium
EDMUND HIGENBOTTAM, Verdant Capital - IMAP South Africa
A joint team of IMAP advisors based in Belgium and South Africa advised Fimave on the sale of SIAT, an agro-industrial group specializing in oil palm and rubber plantations, to Saroafrica International Limited, a diversified group offering agricultural and life care products.
CROSS-BORDER TRANSACTION
Winners:
Jeffrey Smith, Pinnacle - IMAP Japan
Jonathan Adams, Capstone Partners - IMAP USA
Nikkon Holdings (Japan) / Supreme Auto Transport (USA)
Advised Nikkon Holdings on the cross-border acquisition of a stake in Supreme Auto Transport.
Since its establishment in 1953, Nikkon Holdings has been at the forefront of packaging, transportation, warehousing, development of special vehicles, and other businesses, developing high-quality, stable integrated logistics services.
TRANSACTIONS ABOVE $500MN
Winner: Orlando Barucci, Vitale - IMAP Italy
Advised leading Italian telecom player TIM on the sale of assets related to its fixed line network to KKR.
TRANSACTIONS ABOVE $100MN
Winner: Dr. Carsten Lehmann, IMAP Germany
Fedigroni Group / POLI-TAPE
Advised the shareholders of POLI-TAPE Group, an internationally renowned manufacturer of high-quality graphic materials, on a majority sale to the Italian Fedrigoni Group.
TRANSACTIONS ABOVE $50MN
Winner: Cyril Kammoun, Degroof Petercam - IMAP France
Louis Delhaize / Match and Smatch Stores
Advised Belgian-French retail supermarket group Louis Delhaize on the sale of 68 Match and Smatch Stores to several buyers in the retail space.
TRANSACTIONS ABOVE $20MN
Winners:
Tim Persson, IMAP Sweden
Jörgen Larsson, IMAP Sweden
Advised C. Gunnarssons Verkstads (‘CGV’) on its sale to Addtech. CGV is a leading supplier of machines and production lines for lumber handling on the Nordic market.
Addtech is a Sweden-based technology solutions trading company providing components and systems to industrial companies and the service industry in Northern Europe.
TRANSACTIONS ABOVE $10MN
Winner: Peter Schnedler, DealHaus - IMAP Denmark
Presto / Grupo Eurofesa
Advised Presto on the next step of its European expansion with the purchase of Eurofesa, a leading Spanish group in the installation and maintenance of fire protection systems.
Backed by capital fund Adelis, Presto has grown to be Europe’s leading player in fire safety, first aid and safety training.
The IMAP Spirit Award recognizes the team or individual that over the past year has made major contributions to furthering the values and objectives of IMAP. This time we are proud to recognize the outstanding team at IMAP UK, together with support from colleagues at Key Capital – IMAP Ireland.
Although this is a team award, we can note a few key individuals. From the very beginning, Karri has shown strategic vision and unwavering commitment to IMAP, and is consistently dedicated to unlocking international collaboration opportunities.
Graham’s leadership in establishing the Debt Advisory team in the UK and recognizing the strength of the IMAP Debt Advisory team globally has given IMAP a new image in this important market.
Mike’s ongoing contributions on how to improve not only IMAP deal-making processes, but also around the use of technology and marketing tools has motivated IMAP teams to standardize tools and procedures across different geographies.
The entire team at IMAP UK has given us an example of how to practically embody the Spirit of IMAP, and we are here to support their determination to grow and succeed in one of the world’s most competitive markets.
Global M&A Advisory Excellence
These awards celebrate not only individual and team achievements but also IMAP’s collective strength across continents. As a Top 10 M&A advisor globally, IMAP’s commitment to cross-border collaboration, innovation, and client success continues to drive impact in the mid-market segment.
Congratulations to all award winners and honorable mentions who exemplify the spirit and excellence of IMAP. Here’s to another year of outstanding dealmaking!
