JP Morgan and UBS take top spots in Asia-Pacific M&A financial advisory for 1st half of 2024

JP Morgan and UBS have emerged as the top financial advisers in the Asia-Pacific region for the first half of 2024. JP Morgan led by value, advising on deals worth a staggering $10.8 billion, while UBS dominated by volume, handling 21 deals. 

The ranking, provided by GlobalData's latest financial advisers league table, highlights the influential role these firms play in shaping the region's economic landscape.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, noted, “UBS was the clear winner by volume, being the only adviser with double-digit deal volume during H1 2024. Additionally, UBS also secured the second position by value, underscoring its robust performance.”

JP Morgan's prowess was unmatched in terms of value. “JP Morgan was the only adviser to exceed the $10 billion mark during the review period. Besides leading by value, it also held the seventh position by volume in H1 2024. Interestingly, both UBS and JP Morgan maintained their top positions from H1 2023,” Bose added.

UBS followed JP Morgan in the value ranking with $9.1 billion worth of deals, trailed by Morgan Stanley with $7.6 billion, Bank of America with $6.1 billion, and Deutsche Bank with $5.7 billion. On the volume front, Moelis & Company took second place with eight deals, Ernst & Young followed with seven, while Nomura and Rothschild & Co each handled six deals.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and TriLegal emerged as the top M&A legal advisers in the Asia-Pacific region during H1 2024, as per GlobalData's legal advisers league table. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett led by value, advising on deals totaling $16 billion. TriLegal took the lead by volume, advising on 23 deals.

Bose commented, “TriLegal significantly improved its deal volume, jumping from the third position in H1 2023 to the top spot in H1 2024. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett saw a substantial increase in the total value of deals advised, with the average deal size soaring from $162 million in H1 2023 to $2.3 billion in H1 2024. This leap catapulted their ranking from 48th in H1 2023 to first in H1 2024.”

Herbert Smith Freehills secured the second position by value with $7.9 billion in deals, followed by Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu with $6.5 billion, King & Wood Mallesons with $6.4 billion, and Covington & Burling with $6 billion. In terms of volume, AZB & Partners came second with 18 deals, Khaitan & Co third with 15, Gilbert + Tobin fourth with 11, and Allen & Overy fifth with nine deals.