Platform01 Consulting Group provides management consultancy and strategic advisory services. Our M&A consulting services encompass transaction strategy, target identification and screening, commercial and financial analysis, deal structuring advisory, negotiation support, and process management.
The UAE is the GCC's pre-eminent M&A market. Dubai's position as a regional financial hub, Abu Dhabi's sovereign capital deployment through Mubadala and ADQ, the maturation of the UAE's private equity ecosystem, and an expanding population of family businesses reaching succession inflection points — these structural factors are creating a sustained pipeline of M&A activity that demands advisory of the highest caliber.
Platform01 Consulting Group is the UAE's leading boutique M&A consultancy. We maintain 7–8 live mandates on both sell-side and buy-side at any given time — a volume and quality of deal flow that reflects the trust our clients and counterparties place in our advisory. We were recognized as the Top M&A Boutique in 2025 by M&A Today and received the M&A Gold Award from Consultancy Middle East — an elite recognition in the regional advisory market.
Our approach is bespoke by design. Every mandate receives the senior attention, strategic depth, and transaction execution precision that the boutique model is built to deliver — and that larger, generalist firms consistently fail to provide on mid-market and complex transactions.
An important note on scope: Platform01 Consulting Group provides management consultancy and strategic advisory services. Our M&A consulting services encompass transaction strategy, target identification and screening, commercial and financial analysis, deal structuring advisory, negotiation support, and process management. |
SELL-SIDE ADVISORY Divestiture Strategy · Process Management · Buyer Identification · Negotiation Support Sell-side M&A advisory is where the quality of the boutique model is most visible. A sale process managed by a senior, dedicated team with deep sector knowledge, a curated buyer list, and rigorous preparation produces materially better outcomes than one managed as a volume exercise. Platform01 sell-side engagements begin well before the formal process. We work with owners and management teams to prepare the business for sale, aligning the strategic narrative, stress-testing the financial model, identifying and addressing value detractors, and framing the business's fundamentals in the way that the most compelling buyer will want to see them presented. We manage the full process: preparation of the information memorandum and investor presentation, buyer universe mapping and outreach, management presentations, data room management, offer evaluation, and negotiation through to heads of terms and final documentation. Our role is to ensure our client achieves the best possible outcome, on valuation, on terms, and on the certainty of close. |
BUY-SIDE ADVISORY Target Identification · Commercial Analysis · Valuation · Deal Structuring Buy-side M&A in the UAE requires a combination of analytical rigor, regional market intelligence, and the relationship depth to identify and access the right targets, including those that are not formally for sale. Platform01 buy-side advisory provides corporate acquirers, private equity sponsors, family offices, and strategic investors with the end-to-end analytical and process support to execute acquisitions that create genuine value. Our buy-side mandate covers acquisition strategy development, target identification and long-list screening, commercial and financial analysis of target businesses, preliminary valuation, management introduction and relationship facilitation, due diligence coordination, deal structuring advisory, and negotiation support through to transaction completion. Having 7–8 live mandates at any given time, on both sides of transactions, gives Platform01 a continuously updated view of the UAE's M&A market that single-engagement advisors simply cannot match. |
TRANSACTION STRATEGY Defining the Right Approach Before Engaging the Market Growth Through M&A · Portfolio Rationalization · Entry Strategy · Partnership Structuring Before a business engages the market, as buyer or seller, the quality of the strategic rationale and transaction structure determines the quality of the outcome. Platform01 transaction strategy advisory works with boards, ownership groups, and management teams to define the M&A approach that maximizes value given the business's specific strategic position. For sellers, this means assessing timing, structure, and the most credible buyer universe. For buyers, it means defining the acquisition criteria, target profile, and integration thesis before the search begins. For businesses considering joint ventures, partnerships, or partial divestiture, it means structuring the arrangement to achieve strategic objectives without creating liabilities. Transaction strategy engagements are often the starting point for a longer advisory relationship, giving Platform01 the depth of context to manage the subsequent process with full strategic coherence. |
BUSINESS VALUATION Independent Valuation for Transaction Contexts Fair Value Assessment · Negotiation Anchoring · Pre-Sale Preparation · Acquisition Pricing Business valuation in an M&A context is a more nuanced exercise than standalone financial valuation. The relevant question is not only what a business is worth on a standalone basis, but what it is worth to specific categories of buyer, strategic acquirers, financial sponsors, or family office investors, each of whom applies different return frameworks and synergy assumptions. Platform01 transaction valuations apply appropriate methodology for the business type and transaction context: DCF analysis with sector-calibrated assumptions, comparable company analysis using relevant public and private market multiples, and precedent transaction analysis drawing on regional M&A deal databases. Our valuations serve both as internal anchoring tools for owners assessing exit options and as negotiation support documents in active transaction processes. |
INFORMATION MEMORANDUM & INVESTOR MATERIALS Premium Transaction Documentation IM Preparation · Investor Presentation · Teaser Document · Dataroom Management The quality of transaction documentation directly determines the quality of buyer engagement. An information memorandum that presents a business's financials clearly, tells the strategic story compellingly, and anticipates the questions a sophisticated buyer will ask generates higher-quality conversations, more competitive processes, and better outcomes. Platform01 prepares transaction documentation, information memoranda, management presentations, teasers, and data rooms, that reflect the premium positioning of the businesses we represent. Our team applies the same standards to transaction materials that global investment banks apply to major deal processes, because the businesses we advise deserve to be presented at that standard. |
The boutique model in M&A exists for a specific reason: senior attention and strategic focus produce better transaction outcomes than volume-driven, junior-team-led processes. This is especially true in the UAE's mid-market, where transactions are complex enough to require real expertise but not large enough to command senior focus from a major investment bank.
Platform01 is built on this premise. Our M&A advisory engagements are led and managed by senior professionals throughout — not passed down once the engagement letter is signed. Every business we advise receives the preparation, the strategic thinking, and the execution discipline that creates genuine competitive tension in a sale process and genuine analytical depth in an acquisition.
Maintaining 7–8 live mandates at any given time is not a volume play — it is a reflection of the trust our clients and counterparties place in our advisory and the quality of our origination and execution. It also gives us a real-time, transactional view of the UAE M&A market that is impossible to replicate from the outside.
The Platform01 M&A advantage: We are simultaneously advising buyers and sellers across the UAE's M&A market at any point in time. That dual-side perspective — understanding what buyers are looking for, what sellers are concerned about, and where the gaps between expectations create both deal risk and deal opportunity — is one of the most valuable things we bring to any transaction. |
Platform01 M&A mandates span the full breadth of the UAE's commercial economy:
Technology & Digital SaaS, fintech, e-commerce, AI, digital services | Healthcare & Life Sciences Private hospitals, diagnostics, pharma, medtech | Industrials & Manufacturing Manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, energy services | Financial Services Insurance, asset management, financial advisory |
Real Estate & Hospitality Developer platforms, hotel assets, hospitality operators | Retail & Consumer F&B, retail chains, franchise businesses, consumer brands | Education Private schools, higher education, edtech, training providers | Professional Services Consulting, accounting, legal, business services |
The UAE M&A market has matured substantially over the past five years. Several structural factors are creating a sustained pipeline of deal activity across the mid-market:
The UAE has one of the world's most significant concentrations of family-owned businesses, many of which are approaching the third-generation succession inflection point. Founders and second-generation owners are increasingly assessing partial exit, full divestiture, or structured partnership as the preferred route to monetizing the value they have built — creating a pipeline of motivated sell-side mandates that few buyers anticipated five years ago.
The UAE's private equity ecosystem — anchored by regional funds and an increasingly active international PE presence — has matured significantly. Capital is available, holding periods are shortening, and portfolio companies are reaching exit readiness. Platform01 advises both PE-backed businesses seeking exit and PE funds seeking quality acquisition targets in the UAE and broader GCC.
Larger UAE corporates and conglomerates are actively rationalizing their portfolios, divesting non-core businesses and pursuing strategic acquisitions that strengthen their core positions. Platform01 advises on both sides: managing divestiture processes for sellers seeking premium exits, and advising acquirers on commercial and financial analysis of acquisition targets.
The UAE's stable regulatory environment, strategic location, and diversifying economy continue to attract international capital seeking GCC exposure. Cross-border M&A — where an international acquirer is acquiring a UAE business, or a UAE company is acquiring an international target — requires the specific combination of UAE market knowledge and international transaction experience that Platform01 provides.
1 | Mandate Assessment and Strategic Framing We begin every engagement by understanding the specific objectives, seller's exit goals, buyer's acquisition thesis, or board's strategic decision, and framing the transaction approach accordingly. The right process design, structure, and positioning strategy are determined before any market activity begins. |
2 | Business Preparation and Value Optimization For sell-side mandates, we work with management to prepare the business for the transaction, aligning the financial model, identifying and addressing value detractors, building the strategic narrative, and ensuring the business can withstand due diligence scrutiny before the process begins. |
3 | Market Intelligence and Target/Buyer Universe For buy-side, we screen the market for acquisition targets aligned with the client's defined criteria. For sell-side, we map the buyer universe (strategic acquirers, financial sponsors, and regional investors) and identify the highest-conviction subset for initial outreach. |
4 | Transaction Documentation Preparation of the information memorandum, investor presentation, teaser, and supporting financial model to a premium standard, structured to generate serious engagement from the most qualified counterparties. |
5 | Process Management and Counterparty Engagement Structured outreach, management of information flow, orchestration of management presentations, NDAs, and indicative offers. We maintain competitive tension throughout while managing confidentiality and stakeholder relationships. |
6 | Valuation and Commercial Analysis Detailed commercial and financial analysis of the transaction — standalone valuation, synergy assessment, deal structure analysis, and negotiation anchoring. Our CFA-certified team applies the analytical rigor that sophisticated counterparties expect. |
7 | Negotiation Support and Documentation Support through heads of terms negotiation, coordination of legal and financial due diligence, and ongoing advisory through to transaction completion. We remain actively involved — not just through signing. |
Platform01 Consulting Group provides M&A advisory services across all seven emirates of the UAE. Whether your project, business, or transaction is based in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), Ajman, Fujairah, or Umm Al Quwain, our advisory is calibrated to the specific regulatory environment, institutional landscape, and market dynamics of the relevant emirate.
Platform01 Consulting Group is a management consultancy serving investors, developers, family businesses, corporates, and entrepreneurs who demand analytical rigour, bespoke engagement, and a premium standard of advisory that holds up under the most demanding institutional scrutiny.
Our work has been recognized by two independent bodies — Consultancy Middle East and the Global Project Management Group (GPMG) in the United Kingdom — across eleven award categories spanning corporate finance, M&A, strategy, management consulting, restructuring, and sector excellence in industrials, healthcare, real estate, and AI.
CONSULTANCY MIDDLE EAST (9 AWARDS) • Corporate Finance — Gold Category • M&A — Gold Category • Industrial — Gold Category • Strategy — Silver Category • Management Consulting — Silver Category • Restructuring — Silver Category • Healthcare, Real Estate & AI — Silver Categories | GPMG UK (2 AWARDS) • Top M&A Boutique 2025 (M&A Today) • Top Strategist GCC — Industrials, Healthcare & Technology 2025 (The Strategist) |
Our team holds qualifications from the top five global business schools — including London Business School and Columbia Business School, alongside elite institutions such as McGill University — and carries active professional certifications representing the highest standards in global finance and advisory.
Abbrev. | Qualification | Awarding Body |
CFA | Chartered Financial Analyst | CFA Institute |
FRM | Financial Risk Manager | GARP |
CIPM | Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement | CFA Institute |
FMVA | Financial Modelling & Valuation Analyst | CFI |
ACCA | Association of Chartered Certified Accountants | ACCA Global |
Our professionals have built their careers at global investment banks, private equity firms, multinational financial institutions including British International Investment and Molten Ventures, Fortune 500 corporations including General Electric (GE) and Baker Hughes, and tier-1 advisory firms including KPMG and BDO. This pedigree is directly reflected in the quality of our transaction analysis, the strength of our institutional relationships, and the standard of documentation we produce.
UAE's leading boutique M&A consultancy — 7–8 live mandates on buy-side and sell-side at any given time
Top M&A Boutique 2025 — recognized by M&A Today and awarded M&A Gold by Consultancy Middle East 2025
Senior-led throughout — every mandate receives senior attention from mandate award through to transaction completion
Dual-side market intelligence — active on both buy-side and sell-side simultaneously, providing real-time transactional market view
Bespoke by design — every engagement tailored entirely to the specific transaction, business, and objective
Premium transaction documentation — IMs, investor presentations, and valuations built to investment bank standard
11 industry awards — Consultancy Middle East (9) and GPMG UK (2)
Top-5 business school alumni — LBS, Columbia Business School, McGill, with CFA, FRM, CIPM, FMVA, ACCA
Global institutional experience — GE, Baker Hughes, British International Investment, Molten Ventures, KPMG, BDO
GCC-wide transaction coverage — UAE, Saudi Arabia, and broader GCC origination and execution
Three things: active deal flow, senior execution, and analytical quality. Maintaining 7-8 live mandates at any given time, across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, RAK, and the broader GCC, reflects genuine market trust. Senior-led engagement throughout ensures the quality of attention that defines boutique advisory. And our credentials — top-5 business schools, CFA, FRM, ACCA, GE, Baker Hughes, British International Investment, KPMG, BDO — ensure analytical depth that matches the UAE's most sophisticated counterparties.
Yes. Platform01 advises on M&A transactions involving Abu Dhabi-based businesses, from technology companies to industrial, healthcare, and hospitality businesses. Our Abu Dhabi M&A advisory is calibrated to the emirate's specific investor landscape and sovereign capital context.
Yes. Platform01 advises on transactions across all seven UAE emirates. Family businesses and SMEs in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Fujairah represent a significant and often underserved segment of the UAE's M&A market, particularly in manufacturing, industrial, retail, and professional services. Our Northern Emirates advisory applies the same premium standard as our Dubai and Abu Dhabi work.
Yes. Succession planning M&A is one of the most active areas of Platform01's UAE mandate activity. We advise family businesses across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, RAK, Ajman, and Fujairah on transaction strategy, timing, and execution, bringing the sensitivity and discretion that family business transactions require alongside the rigor they deserve.
Sell-side advisory supports a business owner or board through selling or partially divesting a business. Platform01's sell-side scope covers transaction strategy, business preparation, information memorandum preparation, buyer universe mapping, process management, offer evaluation, and negotiation support through to heads of terms.
Buy-side advisory supports a corporate acquirer, private equity sponsor, or investor through identifying and evaluating acquisition targets. Platform01's buy-side scope covers acquisition strategy, target screening across all UAE emirates and the broader GCC, commercial and financial analysis, preliminary valuation, management introductions, due diligence coordination, and deal structuring advisory.
Platform01 M&A mandates span technology, healthcare, industrials and manufacturing, financial services, real estate and hospitality, retail and consumer, education, and professional services, across all seven UAE emirates and the broader GCC.
A structured sell-side process in the UAE typically runs six to twelve months from mandate to heads of terms, followed by a due diligence and documentation period of two to four months. Smaller transactions with pre-identified buyers can close faster. Buy-side mandates are structured around the client's acquisition timeline.
Yes. Platform01 advises on cross-border transactions, inbound (international acquirer acquiring a UAE business) and outbound (UAE company acquiring an international target). Cross-border transactions require the specific combination of UAE regulatory knowledge and international transaction experience that our team's global institutional backgrounds provide.
Yes. Joint ventures and strategic partnerships, between UAE businesses and international investors, or between emirate-level businesses, fall within Platform01's UAE advisory scope. We advise on transaction strategy, partner screening, commercial and financial analysis, JV structure design, and negotiation support.
A transaction valuation answers what a business is worth to specific categories of buyer, strategic acquirers applying synergy assumptions versus financial sponsors applying return-on-capital frameworks. Platform01 applies DCF analysis with UAE-calibrated assumptions, comparable company analysis using relevant market multiples, and precedent transaction analysis from UAE and GCC M&A databases.
Confidentiality is the foundation of trusted M&A advisory. Platform01 manages all mandate activity under strict NDA protocols, controls information flow through structured data room processes, and manages buyer and counterparty outreach with the discretion that sensitive transactions require. Our senior-led model means confidential matters are handled by experienced professionals throughout, not delegated to junior team members.
Platform01 Consulting Group provides management consultancy, investment consultancy, and commercial brokerage services. Within M&A, our scope covers transaction strategy, target identification, commercial and financial analysis, deal structuring consultancy, negotiation support, information memorandum preparation, business valuation for transaction contexts, and process management. We do not provide licensed financial advisory services. Clients requiring such services should engage the appropriate licensed entity.
The UAE's M&A market has reached a level of sophistication that rewards advisory quality above all else. Transactions fail not because of bad businesses but because of inadequate preparation, poor process management, or analytical work that does not hold up to counterparty scrutiny.
Platform01 Consulting Group brings the award-winning credentials, active deal flow, senior engagement, and premium analytical standard that the UAE's M&A market demands. As the region's leading boutique M&A consultancy, with 7–8 live mandates at any given time and two independent award recognitions in 2025, we are built to deliver outcomes that larger, generalist, and less active advisors cannot.