spans decades. Co-founded by Paris Aden
and Marco Goguen, the Toronto-based
corporate finance advisory firm is taking a
novel approach to private market mergers
and acquisitions through a fresh platform
based on its partners’ wealth of financial
know-how.
At the heart of Valitas is the firm’s ability
to attract that particular investor or buyer
who sees more value in a business than
anyone else. That’s how they ensure their
clients receive the best value for their
companies, and how they’ve built a track
record throughout their careers at global
investment banks and mid-market private
equity firms that includes more than 200
M&A transactions and financings worth
over $125 billion. Their experience is re-
flected in their global reach with interna-
tional buyers who now account for more
than half of Canadian private equity activ-
ity.
“I can’t think of another independent
firm focused on the private market that
can parallel that experience,” Aden said.
Some firms operate as “checklist jock-
eys”, running down the list and checking
off the steps needed to close a sale. But
what they’re lacking is the expertise, skill
and access to prospective buyers needed
to create competitive tension, Aden ex-
plained, which is key to maximizing value.
Controlling the competitive process be-
tween multiple prospective buyers cre-
ates urgency and speeds up the sale, un-
like transactions involving a single bidder
that can lead to a long, slow process and
the threat of reduced valuation.
Valitas incorporated in January, bringing
MAY/JUNE 2015
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