Alvarez & Marsal has planted a flag in the middle-market M&A arena, unveiling a dedicated U.S. Corporate Finance practice led by three veteran dealmakers. The global professional services firm tapped Jeff Porphy as Managing Director and practice head, with Dean Asofsky and Gene Kabakov joining as fellow Managing Directors.
The move signals a strategic pivot for a firm long associated with turnaround work and distressed situations. While A&M built its reputation rescuing troubled companies, this expansion targets healthier businesses pursuing growth through acquisitions, divestitures, and capital raises.
Porphy arrives with more than three decades of investment banking experience. He previously ran the M&A and Corporate Finance business at Capital One Securities. Before that, he held leadership roles at Credit Suisse covering middle-market and financial sponsor M&A, plus a stint in Bank of America’s middle-market practice.
Kabakov brings 16 years of dealmaking expertise, most recently serving as a Managing Director at Capital One Securities focused on enterprise software transactions. His background includes positions at Société Générale and Oppenheimer & Co. That technology sector experience could prove valuable. Software companies frequently pursue acquisitions and strategic sales as they race to expand product capabilities.
Asofsky rounds out the senior team with roughly 30 years of M&A advisory work. He previously served as Head of M&A for North America at Rabobank.
The new practice will offer sell-side and buy-side advisory, corporate carve-outs, cross-border transaction support, and capital raising services. A&M intends to differentiate itself by pairing traditional M&A execution with its existing capabilities in financial due diligence, tax strategy, operational assessment, and performance improvement.
Paul Aversano, who leads the firm’s Global Transaction Advisory Group, framed the launch as a response to client demand. Clients increasingly want advisors who understand both deal mechanics and the operational realities behind a transaction, he noted.
With this launch, Alvarez & Marsal positions itself to compete for a broader slice of middle-market advisory work while leveraging its established global platform.
