Selling your business in Dubai? Acquiring a company in UAE, Saudi Arabia, or the GCC? Need financial due diligence before committing? Corvian Advisory delivers end-to-end M&A and deal advisory – valuation, buyer search, financial due diligence, negotiation, and close. Mid-market from AED 5M. Every mandate is run by the principal from first call to signed agreement. No junior hand-offs. No billing surprises.
Whether you are acquiring a company or planning your exit, Corvian Advisory manages the entire process – from the first conversation to the signed agreement. Buy-side and sell-side mandates across the UAE, GCC, and beyond. Every mandate is led directly at the principal level, from start to close.
We represent acquirers – corporates, family offices, private equity, and sovereign-aligned investors – through the complete buy-side process. From identifying the right target to handing you the keys, we manage every stage.
We represent business owners, founders, and shareholders who want to exit, partially divest, or bring in a strategic investor. Our sell-side process is structured to find the right buyer, create competitive tension, and maximise what you walk away with.
Corvian Advisory is a specialist M&A and deal advisory firm based in Dubai, UAE. The firm was built on over 15 years of senior-level experience at Big 4 and top-tier global consulting practices – primarily across GCC, EMEA, and APAC transactions.
Our principal holds the CFA Charter, Chartered Accountant (CA) designation, FRM certification, and a postgraduate degree in Quantitative Finance. Every engagement is led directly at the principal level – the person who takes your first call is the same person who reads your financials, builds the model, and sits in negotiations.
"We deliver institutional-grade advisory for mid-market transactions – because the quality of advice you receive should not depend on the size of your deal."
We work with family businesses, founder-led companies, private investors, and cross-border acquirers who need rigorous, independent financial guidance. Our UAE-first approach, combined with deep familiarity with the GCC, EMEA, and APAC corridors, makes us the right partner for cross-border deals across the UAE, Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah), Qatar (Doha), Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman – and beyond.
Most people encounter M&A advisory for the first time during the most important financial decision of their lives. Here is exactly what the process looks like – no surprises, no hand-offs.
A no-obligation call to understand your situation – transaction, timeline, deal size, and objectives. Nothing leaves the room.
A precise engagement letter with agreed deliverables, timeline, and fees – signed before any work begins. No scope creep.
Deep-dive financial analysis, market research, valuation, and due diligence – led entirely by the principal advisor, not a junior team.
Active negotiation support, deal structure advice, and valuation defence through the critical LOI and SPA stages.
Transaction closing or deliverable sign-off with a full debrief and post-engagement support where needed.
From live M&A mandates to business valuations, due diligence, and financial modelling – every service is delivered by a CFA-qualified, Big 4-trained principal advisor with 15+ years of frontline deal experience. Not delegated to a junior team. View full service pages →
Full buy-side mandate management from target identification through financial due diligence, valuation, negotiation, and closing. We represent acquirers across the GCC, EMEA, and APAC corridors with institutional rigour at boutique pricing.
Exclusive sell-side advisory for business owners seeking exit at maximum value. We prepare your business, structure the process, identify qualified buyers globally, and protect your position at every negotiation stage.
Principal-led advisory for UAE and GCC family business exits, partner buyouts, and ownership succession transactions. We manage the full process – valuation, buyer search, negotiation, and deal structure – with complete confidentiality.
Full cross-border deal advisory across the UAE–India, UAE–KSA, GCC–Europe, and GCC–APAC corridors. We handle regulatory complexity, currency considerations, and cultural negotiation dynamics on both sides of every deal.
End-to-end equity and debt fundraising advisory including equity story, institutional-grade pitch decks, financial models, and investor introductions across GCC family offices, private equity, and sovereign funds.
Financial and operational integration advisory following M&A transaction closing. We help acquirers realise deal value through structured integration of finance functions, reporting systems, and operational workflows.
Complex integrated financial models including 3-statement models, LBO, DCF, and scenario analysis. Built in Excel with full transparency and board-ready presentation format. Used for transactions, fundraising, and strategic decisions.
Comprehensive economic and financial feasibility studies for new projects, investments, and business ventures. Includes market sizing, financial projections, risk assessment, and a bankable go/no-go conclusion accepted by UAE banks.
Part-time CFO engagement providing senior financial leadership for growth-stage and mid-market businesses. Covers financial reporting, investor relations, fundraising support, and board-level financial strategy without full-time CFO cost.
Investor-grade strategic business plans for bank financing, investor presentations, and board-level decisions. Includes market analysis, competitive positioning, financial projections, and implementation roadmap.
Institutional-quality information memoranda and pitch decks for fundraising processes. Prepared to international standards with a compelling equity story, detailed financial analysis, and professional presentation.
Financial and operational restructuring for distressed businesses, underperforming assets, and companies navigating challenging conditions. Cash preservation, creditor management, and performance recovery.
Mid-market businesses in the UAE deserve Big 4-quality advisory. The problem is Big 4 fees are built for large corporates. Corvian Advisory closes that gap.
You work directly with a CFA-qualified, Big 4-trained advisor throughout. No junior teams, no delegation after the pitch. Senior judgement on every deliverable.
We deliberately price below Big 4 and large advisory firms. Our boutique structure means lower overhead, passed directly to you. Institutional quality. Boutique price.
No funds to deploy, no affiliated brokers, no referral arrangements. Our only agenda is your best outcome. Every recommendation is unconflicted.
Deep market knowledge across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Doha, Kuwait City, and the wider GCC, with an established network across EMEA and APAC. Purpose-built for the cross-border corridors reshaping regional M&A.
Boutique agility with institutional depth. We move at deal speed. All mandates handled with absolute confidentiality from first conversation to closing.
Unlike most advisory firms, we publish our pricing framework so you know what to expect before you pick up the phone.
All engagements begin with a fixed-scope proposal. Fees agreed before work commences.
The GCC M&A market recorded $102.1 billion across 685 deals in 2025, a 26% surge year-on-year. The UAE alone attracted 49% of total MENA inbound deal volume. Cross-border transactions now represent 54% of all activity – and accelerating.
Multiples are a starting point, not a conclusion. What a buyer actually pays depends on EBITDA quality, growth rate, customer concentration, and deal structure. These ranges reflect indicative GCC mid-market transaction data – not public company benchmarks. Get an independent valuation →
"We were selling a healthcare business after 14 years of building it. The CIM Corvian produced was a different class – buyers came to meetings already convinced of the investment case. We received three credible offers and closed above our target range."
"The FDD identified AED 8M in EBITDA adjustments the seller's IM had completely obscured. Our investment committee used the QoE report directly. We renegotiated pricing and structured an earn-out that properly de-risked the forward revenue assumptions. Corvian paid for itself many times over."
"As a first-time acquirer in the UAE, we had no idea how different the GCC diligence process would be. Corvian walked us through every step – from free zone structure implications to EOSB liability to the UAE CT position. The deal would have taken twice as long without them."
Whether you are selling a business you have built over 20 years or acquiring one for the first time in the UAE, these are the questions we get asked most often. If yours is not here, reach out directly.
An M&A advisory firm in the UAE helps business owners and investors buy or sell businesses. This typically includes valuing the business, identifying buyers or acquisition targets, running a structured process, negotiating terms, conducting financial due diligence, and managing the transaction through to closing. Corvian Advisory handles all of this – senior-led, not delegated to junior teams.
To sell your business in the UAE or GCC, the process typically involves: getting an independent valuation, preparing a Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM), identifying and approaching qualified buyers, running a structured process to generate competitive offers, negotiating deal terms, and managing the legal and financial closing. Corvian Advisory manages this entire process for business owners on an exclusive sell-side mandate basis.
Corvian Advisory publishes a transparent pricing framework. Buy-side and sell-side M&A mandates are typically structured on a success fee basis. Standalone services such as financial due diligence range from AED 20,000 to AED 80,000, and business valuations range from AED 10,000 to AED 50,000 depending on scope and complexity. Every engagement starts with a fixed-scope proposal agreed before any work begins.
A business broker matches buyers and sellers for smaller transactions with minimal financial analysis or negotiation support. An M&A advisor like Corvian Advisory provides end-to-end transaction management: independent valuation, financial due diligence, a structured buyer or seller process, negotiation strategy, and deal structuring – all delivered by a CFA-qualified principal with 15+ years of Big 4 experience. The difference is the difference between listing your house yourself and hiring a specialist negotiator.
Yes – every serious buyer needs independent financial due diligence before acquiring a business. Without it, you are relying entirely on the seller's numbers. Financial due diligence covers quality of earnings, working capital normalisation, net debt identification, undisclosed liabilities, and cash flow sustainability. Corvian Advisory provides financial due diligence engagements led directly by a CFA-qualified principal – typically completed in 3 to 6 weeks.
A typical mid-market business sale in the UAE takes between 4 and 9 months from initial mandate to closing. The timeline depends on business complexity, buyer identification time, due diligence scope, and negotiation. Some straightforward deals close faster; complex cross-border transactions may take longer. Corvian Advisory provides a clear process timeline at the start of every sell-side engagement.
Deal advisory is a broader term covering the full range of services that support a financial transaction – M&A advisory, financial due diligence, valuation, capital raising, and post-merger integration. M&A advisory specifically refers to buying or selling a business. Corvian Advisory provides both: full M&A mandates for buyers and sellers, and standalone deal advisory services such as independent financial due diligence and business valuation for transactions already in progress.
Transaction advisory in the UAE covers the financial, commercial, and operational advisory services that support a business transaction from start to close. This includes buy-side and sell-side M&A advisory, financial due diligence (quality of earnings, working capital, net debt), business valuation, commercial due diligence, capital raising, and post-merger integration support. Corvian Advisory provides full-service transaction advisory for mid-market deals from AED 5M across the UAE and GCC.
Financial due diligence in the UAE typically costs AED 20,000 to AED 80,000 depending on the size and complexity of the target, the years of financials to review, and whether UAE-specific items – corporate tax, VAT, WPS, and EOSB – require detailed coverage. At Corvian Advisory, fees are fixed and agreed in a signed engagement letter before work begins. No hourly billing, no scope creep.
Since the UAE introduced 9% corporate tax in 2023, deal structuring and diligence must account for CT implications. Key issues include whether the target qualifies for Free Zone tax status (0%), how profits will be taxed under the acquirer's group structure, transfer pricing on intercompany transactions, and whether to structure as a share deal or asset deal. UAE CT compliance – tax registrations, filing status, FTA correspondence – should be a standard diligence item on every UAE acquisition.
Yes – family business exits and partner buyouts are among the most common mandates we advise on in the GCC. We provide independent valuation of the equity being transacted, advisory on deal structure including deferred consideration and earn-out arrangements, and representation throughout negotiations – ensuring the process is run at arm's length and the outcome is defensible to all stakeholders.
Cross-border M&A in the UAE and GCC involves transactions where buyer and seller are in different jurisdictions. The UAE-India, UAE-KSA, and GCC-Europe corridors are the most active. Cross-border deals require understanding of both regulatory environments, free zone and mainland entity structures, currency and repatriation considerations, and cultural negotiation dynamics. Cross-border transactions represent 54% of all GCC M&A activity. Corvian Advisory specialises in these corridors with direct transaction experience on both sides.
Post-merger integration (PMI) in the UAE involves aligning the acquired business's people, systems, finances, and operations with the acquirer's. UAE-specific issues include free zone versus mainland consolidation, employee visa transfers, WPS payroll alignment, EOSB liability recognition, and banking transitions. PMI planning should begin during due diligence – not after close – to prevent the day-one surprises that destroy expected synergies. Corvian Advisory provides PMI advisory as a standalone service and as part of full mandates.
Raising equity capital in the UAE typically involves approaching GCC family offices, regional private equity funds, sovereign-linked investors, and international growth investors. The quality of your pitch deck, financial model, and narrative determines the quality of investor conversations you attract. Corvian Advisory advises on equity fundraising from Series A through to pre-IPO rounds – covering investment thesis, financial modelling, institutional-grade pitch decks, and investor introductions across GCC and EMEA.
Yes. Corvian Advisory provides full M&A and deal advisory services across all GCC markets – Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and Jeddah), Qatar (Doha), Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman – in addition to cross-border transactions into EMEA and APAC. We operate from Dubai and serve clients across the entire GCC and beyond on both buy-side and sell-side mandates.
The United States and Canada (North America) represent the single largest source of inbound M&A investment into the GCC, accounting for approximately 49% of cross-border deal flow. Europe (UK, Germany, France, Netherlands) is the second largest at approximately 24%, followed by India at 14% and Japan/APAC at a growing 8%. The UAE consistently attracts 49% of all MENA inbound FDI – making Dubai the primary entry point for any cross-border acquisition into the region. Corvian Advisory specialises in these inbound corridors, advising international acquirers on target identification, due diligence, deal structuring, and regulatory navigation in the UAE and GCC.
The UAE's position as the MENA region's leading M&A destination is underpinned by five factors: (1) political and regulatory stability – free zones, 100% foreign ownership, and a transparent legal system based on English common law (DIFC); (2) tax efficiency – 0% personal income tax, 9% corporate tax with free zone exemptions for qualifying businesses; (3) geographic centrality – Dubai is within 4 hours of 2.2 billion people and serves as a hub between East and West; (4) capital depth – GCC sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and private equity control over $3 trillion in assets; (5) deal velocity – mid-market deals in the UAE close faster than comparable transactions in Europe or South Asia. In 2025, the UAE received 49% of all MENA inbound M&A FDI and recorded $60.4 billion in deal value – a 170% increase year-on-year.
Corvian Advisory focuses on mid-market transactions typically ranging from AED 5 million to AED 500 million in deal value. We work with business owners, corporates, family offices, and private equity across the GCC, EMEA, and APAC corridors. For standalone services such as financial due diligence and business valuation, there is no minimum deal size requirement.
Practical intelligence on M&A, valuation, due diligence, and deal advisory in the UAE and GCC – written from 15+ years of frontline transaction experience.
Most business owners encounter M&A advisory for the first time during the most important transaction of their lives. Understanding the seven stages is the difference between a smooth deal and an expensive surprise.
Read ArticleThere is no universal correct method to value a business. The right approach depends on your industry, stage, profitability, and purpose. Here is how a CFA-qualified advisor thinks through method selection.
Read ArticleEvery year, acquirers across the GCC lose money on deals that looked attractive on the surface but concealed quality-of-earnings problems and undisclosed liabilities. Here is what FDD actually uncovers.
Read ArticleThe GCC recorded $102 billion in M&A activity across 685 deals in 2025. Behind the headline numbers is a structural shift – technology, healthcare, logistics, and financial services are leading the charge.
Read ArticleThe UAE is experiencing a generational transfer of family business wealth. Most founders receive valuations that are wildly optimistic from brokers or overly conservative from buyers. Independent valuation is not a luxury.
Read ArticleUSA and India are the #1 and #3 inbound M&A corridors into GCC. Behind every headline deal are dozens of mid-market transactions that fail – usually for five predictable reasons that experienced advisors flag immediately.
Read ArticleMarket data, deal commentary, and advisory perspectives published regularly on LinkedIn.
A comparison of deal advisory and M&A consultancy firms across the UAE and GCC – benchmarked on credentials, mid-market focus, regional coverage, and pricing transparency.
| # | Firm | Focus | Credentials | Mid-Market | Pricing | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corvian Advisory UAE · GCC · EMEA · APAC | Full-Service Deal Advisory · Boutique Principal-Led | CFA · CA · FRM · MSc · Big 4 KPMG | Primary Focus | Best in Region | ★★★★★ |
| 2 | Big 4 Transaction Advisory KPMG / Deloitte / PwC / EY | Full-service, multi-practice global | Institutional – varies by team | Limited | Premium++ | ★★★★☆ |
| 3 | Regional Investment Banks EFG / Arqaam / Shuaa | Capital markets focused, ECM/DCM | Strong capital markets, lighter advisory | Moderate | High | ★★★☆☆ |
| 4 | Business Brokers & Platforms Regional brokers, online platforms | Transaction matching, minimal advisory | Typically no formal credentials | Small Deals | Low | ★★☆☆☆ |
Rankings based on: CFA/CA credentials, mid-market deal focus, regional GCC coverage, pricing accessibility, and principal-level engagement. Compiled by Corvian Advisory, May 2026.
Every engagement begins with a confidential discussion – no pressure, no obligation. Tell us what you are working through: a business you are thinking of selling, an acquisition you are evaluating, a valuation you need, or a deal that is already in progress. We respond within 24 business hours. All communications are strictly confidential.