Advisory & Consulting

Unrealised losses in U.S. private credit have deepened to their worst level since 2022, even as Goldman Sachs projects M&A volumes approaching 2021 records. CFOs, General Counsel, and M&A Directors must act now to stress-test credit exposure, sharpen deal pipelines, and monitor accelerating policy competition for capital across global financial centres.

Unrealised losses at U.S. private credit lenders have reached their highest levels since 2022, even as Goldman Sachs projects global M&A volumes approaching 2021 records. CFOs and advisory professionals must reconcile accelerating deal activity with deepening stress in the credit structures that underpin it.

Norway’s banking inquiry and Addiko Bank’s endorsement of RBI’s lower-but-certain takeover bid signal a structural shift in European bank M&A: execution certainty now commands a genuine premium over headline price. CFOs and M&A Directors must recalibrate deal strategy and regulatory risk frameworks accordingly.

Addiko Bank’s endorsement of RBI’s lower takeover bid over a higher competing offer underscores a defining shift in European M&A: regulatory certainty and execution confidence now outweigh headline price. For CFOs, General Counsel, and M&A Directors, this signals a fundamental repricing of deal risk across cross-border financial transactions.

Nearly $20 billion in municipal fixed-income ETF inflows and accelerating advisory platform consolidation are signalling a structural shift in capital allocation priorities. CFOs, M&A Directors, and General Counsel must reassess treasury strategy, counterparty relationships, and regulatory readiness in response.

The ECB’s stablecoin warning to EU ministers, Bank of America’s 2027 rate-cut outlook, and the $10 billion Warner Bros refinancing define the strategic priorities for European financial leaders this week. CFOs, General Counsel, and M&A Directors must act now on treasury resilience, digital payment regulation, and deal financing assumptions.

The ECB’s warning on euro stablecoins and BofA’s revised rate-cut timeline extending to 2027 are reshaping the financing landscape for European and global businesses. CFOs, treasurers, and M&A directors must act now on refinancing risk, digital asset compliance, and treasury optimisation.

Advisor platform consolidation and nearly $20 billion in fixed-income ETF inflows are reshaping financial advisory and capital markets in 2025. CFOs, General Counsel, and M&A Directors must act now on the regulatory and strategic implications.

Accelerating consolidation among advisory platforms, Lincoln International’s $2.3 billion public debut, and diverging regulatory proposals in the U.S. and Europe are reshaping the financial advisory and capital markets landscape. Mid-market CFOs, M&A Directors, and board members must respond with deliberate strategic action — not observation.

The U.S. Federal Reserve’s proposal to create a restricted payment-account regime for fintechs signals a new phase of regulatory tightening with direct implications for capital markets, treasury management, and M&A strategy globally. Combined with ECB caution and elevated rates, the environment demands that executives treat regulatory positioning as a first-order strategic priority.