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CFA-Led · Big 4-Trained · Principal-Led · Fixed Fees · Dubai, UAE

About Corvian Advisory

Independent corporate finance and M&A advisory for businesses that deserve the same quality of advice as the largest companies — without the Big Four overhead, delegation to juniors, or opaque hourly billing.

Who we are: Corvian Advisory is a CFA-led, independent M&A and corporate finance advisory firm based in Dubai, UAE. Every engagement is led directly by the principal — a CFA Charterholder and Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of Big 4 M&A advisory experience. We provide business valuation, M&A advisory, financial due diligence, and fundraising advisory to SMEs, family businesses, startups, and institutional investors across the UAE and GCC.

CFA Charterholder Chartered Accountant Big 4-Trained 15+ Years Experience IVS & IFRS 3 Compliant Principal-Led Fixed Fees
Begin a Conversation Our Services
15+
Years M&A & Finance Experience
CFA
Chartered Financial Analyst
Big 4
Advisory Background
GCC-Wide
UAE, KSA, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman
Who We Are

Independent. Expert. Accessible.

Corvian Advisory was built on a straightforward observation: the businesses that most need expert corporate finance advice — the SMEs selling after 20 years of building, the family businesses navigating a partner exit, the UAE startup about to negotiate its first institutional round — are the ones least well served by the Big Four.

The Big Four have scale and brand. They also have minimum fee thresholds that price out most mid-market businesses, multi-layer teams where the principal who pitches for the mandate is rarely the person who delivers it, and hourly billing models that create an incentive to extend rather than resolve an engagement.

"We built Corvian Advisory to deliver the same analytical rigour as a Big Four M&A team, with the directness, transparency, and responsiveness that only an independent boutique can offer."

Every Corvian Advisory engagement is led directly by the principal — a CFA Charterholder and qualified Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of Big 4 M&A advisory experience spanning transactions across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the broader GCC.

Fees are fixed and agreed before work begins. Reports are delivered to institutional standard. And every client — from an AED 8M business owner preparing to sell to a PE fund running a buy-side process — gets direct access to the same level of expertise.

Credentials
CFA Charterholder
Chartered Financial Analyst — the globally recognised gold standard of financial analysis. Issued by the CFA Institute. Requires passing three rigorous exams and 4,000+ hours of relevant work experience.
Chartered Accountant (CA)
Qualified Chartered Accountant from one of the world's leading accountancy bodies. Provides the financial statement analysis and accounting standards expertise that underpins rigorous valuation and due diligence work.
Big 4 M&A Advisory
Over 15 years of corporate finance experience including M&A advisory, financial due diligence, and business valuation at a Big Four firm across UAE, GCC, and international transactions.
Contact
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Professional Standards

Standards We Follow —
What That Means for You

Every Corvian Advisory engagement is governed by the appropriate professional standards for the service type and jurisdiction. Our valuation reports are prepared in accordance with international standards and accepted by UAE banks, Big 4 auditors, the FTA, and UAE courts.

IVS
International Valuation Standards — IVSC
Applied to all business, equity, intangible asset, and property valuations. The global standard for independent, credible valuation.
IFRS 3
International Financial Reporting Standard 3 — Business Combinations
Governs Purchase Price Allocation (PPA) and the measurement of identifiable assets and liabilities at fair value following an acquisition.
IAS 38
International Accounting Standard 38 — Intangible Assets
The accounting standard governing recognition, measurement, and disclosure of intangible assets, including brands, patents, and customer relationships.
IAS 36
International Accounting Standard 36 — Impairment of Assets
Applied in goodwill impairment testing engagements following acquisitions. Requires recoverable amount assessment at the CGU level.
IFRS 2
International Financial Reporting Standard 2 — Share-Based Payment
Governs ESOP and employee share option valuations. Requires fair value measurement at grant date using Black-Scholes or binomial models.
RICS
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors — Red Book
Applied to real estate and property valuations including UAE Golden Visa applications, IFRS revaluations, and bank financing purposes.
TAQEEM
Saudi Authority for Accredited Valuers
The applicable Saudi valuation standard for engagements involving Saudi Arabia-based assets, businesses, or regulatory requirements.
IPEV
International Private Equity & Venture Capital Valuation Guidelines
Used for VC and PE portfolio valuations, where fair value measurement requires specific methodological guidance for private company investments.
UAE CT
UAE Corporate Tax — FTA Guidance (9% rate)
All valuations and M&A advisory work incorporates UAE Corporate Tax implications including free zone qualification, transfer pricing, and CT group structuring.
Services

What We Do — Service Overview

Corvian Advisory provides five core service areas covering the full transaction and advisory lifecycle.

01
M&A Advisory

Buy-side and sell-side mandates for mid-market UAE and GCC transactions. Full process management from preparation through to close. AED 5M–500M deal range.

02
Business Valuation

Independent IVS-compliant business and equity valuation using DCF, EV/EBITDA, precedent transactions, and NAV. Accepted by UAE banks, FTA, Big 4 auditors, and courts.

03
Financial Due Diligence

Quality of earnings, working capital, net debt, UAE CT, VAT, EOSB, and WPS analysis. For buyers and investors requiring independent financial assessment of a target business.

04
Fundraising Advisory

Equity capital raising advisory for UAE and GCC growth companies. Investor search, investment memorandum, pitch deck, financial model, and term sheet negotiation support.

05
Specialist Valuations

Intangible asset and IP valuation (IFRS 3 PPA), startup and ESOP valuation (IFRS 2), property valuation (RICS), and goodwill impairment testing (IAS 36).

06
Transaction Advisory

Commercial due diligence, feasibility studies, financial modelling, and transaction structuring support for buyers, sellers, and investors across UAE and GCC deals.

Our Approach

How We Work — The Corvian Standard

01
Principal-Led, Every Time
The principal you meet at the start of an engagement is the person who leads the analysis and writes the report. No delegation to junior analysts. No bait-and-switch. You get the 15+ years of experience on your actual work.
02
Fixed Fees, Published Openly
Every engagement starts with a fixed-scope proposal and a fixed fee agreed before work begins. No hourly billing. No scope creep surprises. Big Four advisory firms do not publish prices. We do.
03
Independence and Objectivity
Independent valuation and advisory requires the absence of conflicts of interest. Corvian Advisory does not act for both buyer and seller on the same transaction, does not earn commissions from third parties, and does not hold financial interests in client businesses.
04
Strict Confidentiality
Every engagement is governed by a mutual NDA. Client information is never shared with third parties without explicit consent. All case studies referenced are anonymised. The trust of our clients is non-negotiable.
05
Accessible Where Big Four Are Not
We work with businesses across the size spectrum — from an AED 5M SME to a AED 500M corporate. The minimum engagement size at most Big Four firms excludes most UAE SMEs and family businesses. That gap is exactly where Corvian Advisory operates.
Independence Statement

Corvian Advisory's valuation reports are prepared in accordance with the International Valuation Standards (IVS) and the ethical requirements of the CFA Institute, which require objectivity, independence, and the avoidance of conflicts of interest.

Our valuations represent the principal's independent professional judgment. Where instructed value differs materially from assessed fair market value, this is disclosed in the report. We do not certify to values we cannot support.

All reports identify the standard of value applied (fair market value, fair value, investment value), the valuation date, the purpose of the engagement, and the basis of preparation in accordance with IVS disclosure requirements.

Professional Memberships
CFA Institute — Member
Institute of Chartered Accountants — Member
IVSC Standards Board — Standards followed
Client Feedback

What Clients Say About Corvian Advisory

★★★★★

"We were selling a healthcare business after 14 years of building it. The CIM Corvian produced was a different class from anything we had seen — buyers came to meetings already convinced of the investment case. We received three credible offers and closed above our target range."

Founder, UAE Healthcare Group
★★★★★

"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."

Investment Director, GCC Private Equity Fund
★★★★★

"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."

CEO, UAE Manufacturing Group
FAQ

About Corvian Advisory —
Frequently Asked Questions

What is Corvian Advisory and what services does it provide?+
Corvian Advisory is an independent CFA-led corporate finance and M&A advisory firm based in Dubai, UAE. We provide business valuation, M&A advisory (buy-side and sell-side), financial due diligence, fundraising advisory, and specialist valuations (intangible assets, ESOP, PPA). Every engagement is principal-led by a CFA Charterholder and Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of Big 4 M&A advisory experience. We serve SMEs, family businesses, startups, private equity, and institutional investors across the UAE and GCC.
What credentials does the Corvian Advisory principal hold?+
The Corvian Advisory principal holds a CFA Charter (Chartered Financial Analyst — the gold standard of financial analysis credentials, issued by the CFA Institute) and is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over 15 years of Big 4 M&A and transaction advisory experience. The firm's valuations follow IVS, IFRS 3, IAS 38, IAS 36, IFRS 2, RICS, TAQEEM, and IPEV standards as applicable. Valuation reports are accepted by UAE banks, the FTA, Big 4 auditors, and UAE courts.
How is Corvian Advisory different from a Big Four firm?+
Four differences matter most. First, the principal leads every engagement directly — no delegation to junior teams. Second, fees are fixed and published openly (Big Four firms never publish prices). Third, we work with businesses of any size — Big Four minimum fee thresholds often exclude SMEs and family businesses. Fourth, our turnaround times are faster because there is no multi-layer review process. Analytical quality is equal to Big Four standard — the difference is in how the service is delivered.
Does Corvian Advisory work with international clients?+
Yes. Corvian Advisory works with international buyers and investors targeting UAE and GCC acquisitions, UAE companies with cross-border M&A requirements, and international investors raising capital through UAE-based entities. The most active cross-border corridors we work on are UAE-India, UAE-KSA, and GCC-Europe. Engagements are conducted in English. Reports are produced in English and available in Arabic where required.
How do I start an engagement with Corvian Advisory?+
Every engagement begins with a no-obligation introductory call to understand your situation and requirements. We then issue a clear, fixed-scope proposal with a fixed fee. There is no commitment until you accept the proposal. You can reach us by email at contact@corvianadvisory.com, by WhatsApp on +971 54 724 8624, or through the contact form on our website. We typically respond within 24 hours on working days.
Are Corvian Advisory's valuation reports accepted by UAE banks and auditors?+
Yes. Corvian Advisory valuation reports are prepared in accordance with the International Valuation Standards (IVS) and the relevant IFRS standards (IFRS 3, IAS 38, IAS 36, IFRS 2). Reports prepared to these standards are accepted by UAE commercial banks for financing purposes, by the FTA for UAE Corporate Tax purposes, by Big 4 audit firms in their audit procedures, and by UAE courts and DIFC / ADGM courts for dispute resolution purposes.

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