UBS and Rand Merchant Bank were the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) financial advisers in the Middle East & Africa region during the first quarter (Q1) of 2025 by value and volume, respectively, according to the latest financial advisers league table by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database revealed that UBS achieved the leading position in terms of value by advising on $1.6 billion worth of deals. Meanwhile, Rand Merchant Bank led in terms of volume by advising on a total of three deals.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “UBS advised on only one deal but a billion-dollar deal* and that helped it occupy the top spot by value in Q1 2025. In fact, it was the only adviser to surpass the $1 billion mark in total deal value during the quarter. Apart from leading by value, UBS also held the ninth position by volume during Q1 2025. Meanwhile, Rand Merchant Bank, apart from leading by volume, also occupied the third position by value in Q1 2025.”

HSBC occupied the second position in terms of value, by advising on $906 million worth of deals, followed by Rand Merchant Bank with $802 million, Clairfield International with $750 million and Goldman Sachs with $693 million.

Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs occupied the second position in terms of volume with three deals whereas Imara Holdings, Jefferies, KPMG, Lazard, PSG CAPITAL and PwC jointly occupied the third position with each of them advising on two deals.

*Deal value ≥ $1 billion