A UK mergers and acquisitions advisory firm has planted its flag permanently in New York City, taking space inside the iconic Chrysler Building. LAVA Advisory Partners made the move official alongside the hiring of two seasoned dealmakers to run its American operations.
This transatlantic expansion follows a $10.7 million growth funding deal with Beechbrook Capital. LAVA already counts numerous US private equity firms among its clients. Now, with boots on the ground in Manhattan, the company aims to serve American investors hunting for acquisition targets across the UK and Europe far more directly.
Carlo Porreca and Helen Dixon join as partners to anchor the new office. Porreca arrives with nearly 20 years of experience spanning deal origination, investment banking, and private equity. He founded Wall Springs Capital and will oversee US sponsor coverage, concentrating on B2B, healthcare, and technology-enabled services.
Dixon brings more than two decades in transaction advisory work, including senior positions at Grant Thornton and BDO. A UK native who relocated to America in 2017, she specializes in financial due diligence. Her role will touch LAVA’s international deal flow, helping clients understand how investors on either side of the Atlantic evaluate opportunities differently.
Simon Woodcock, a partner at LAVA, said the firm already works regularly with US investors. Having Porreca and Dixon in-market, he added, turns those relationships into a far more integrated part of daily operations. He expressed confidence that LAVA’s approach will find traction with the American investor base his new partners know intimately.
Porreca pointed to the combination of LAVA’s European market expertise and his own US sponsor network. That pairing, he said, creates an unmatched ability to connect the right opportunities with the right capital.
Dixon noted that buyers in the UK and US often assess deals through distinct lenses. Her cross-border experience positions LAVA to help clients anticipate how international investors will scrutinize them and prepare accordingly.
