Alex Karski

I am a director in BDO’s Deal Advisory Transaction Services team, with over 15 years of experience in a broad range of deals, including buy-side support on acquisitions (e.g. FDD), sell-side support (e.g. VFDD and VA); bank pre-lend reviews and reporting accountant assignments (including IPOs) on the LSE full list and AIM.

I aim to ensure that my part of the transaction (typically the FDD) is cost-effective and delivered efficiently. Importantly, it should also maximise value for our client - this might particularly include on the buy-side ensuring clarity on all elements of the EV to equity bridge; and on the sell-side/VDDs maximising deliverability (via preparing a robust report for bidders) and minimising the disruption to management’s precious time.

I work with a wide range of businesses, from FTSE 100 companies to entrepreneurial owner-managed businesses, with a lot of my work involving private equity. I have worked in Europe, the US and Asia; and I cover a range of sectors, with particular strengths and experience in technology (including betting and gaming); life sciences and real estate.

One example of my work that I like to share is a six-year journey with one client - where I helped with FDD on its acquisition of a life sciences business; we then did FDD on a number of international bolt-ons over the following years (including in the US and Australia); we did pre-lend VFDD linked to a refinancing; and we did VFDD on the successful sale of the enlarged business.

Outside of work I like to spend time with my wife and two sons, often on the side of a football pitch. With my relatively limited free time aside from that, I like to keep fit (with yoga/stretching having become an increasingly important part of that), play 5 aside football (with one of the other dads who is a former international player) and dabble in the guitar.