Goldman Sachs and PwC are the leading advisers for mergers and acquisitions in Europe during the first half of 2025.
In the bustling world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in Europe, Weil, Gotshal & Manges has emerged as the leading financial adviser for the first half of 2025, according to data and analytics company GlobalData.
The London-based law firm advised on transactions worth a staggering $20.6 billion during the period, securing the top spot by deal value in Europe. Weil's impressive performance came as the overall European M&A volumes slightly decreased compared to 2024, while deal values increased, reflecting a rise in megadeals exceeding $5 billion.
CMS, another prominent legal adviser, also made it to the top of the European M&A advisory sector, though the exact deal volume for these firms in Europe was not detailed in the available information. Barclays, with a deal value of $19.3 billion, and PwC, with a total of 52 deals, followed closely behind Weil in the rankings.
PwC, despite registering a decline in the total number of deals advised, managed to improve its ranking from the second position in H1 2024 to the top position in H1 2025. This is a testament to the firm's ability to handle large-scale transactions effectively.
Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs, which topped the financial advisers league table for M&A transactions in Europe in H1 2025 by deal value, advised on transactions amounting to $23.8 billion. The American investment bank managed to retain its leadership position by this metric, having been the top adviser by value in H1 2024 as well.
JP Morgan, with $21.8 billion worth of deals, placed second in the value ranking, while Rothschild & Co came in third with 50 deals in the volume ranking. Ernst & Young ranked fourth in the volume ranking with 42 deals, and Lazard and Clearwater secured fifth positions in the value and volume rankings, respectively.
GlobalData's league tables are based on real-time tracking of thousands of company and advisory firm websites, as well as other reliable sources. The company seeks submissions of deals from leading advisers to ensure further robustness of the data.
Aurojyoti Bose, a lead analyst at GlobalData, commented on the findings, "The European M&A market continues to be dynamic, with a shift towards larger deals. Firms that can manage these complex transactions effectively are likely to remain at the forefront of the advisory sector."
[1] GlobalData (2025). Weil, Gotshal & Manges Lead European M&A Advisory Sector in H1 2025. [online] Available at: https://www.globaldata.com/news/weil-gotshal-manges-lead-european-ma-advisory-sector-in-h1-2025/
[2] GlobalData (2025). Goldman Sachs Tops European M&A Advisory League Table in H1 2025. [online] Available at: https://www.globaldata.com/news/goldman-sachs-tops-european-ma-advisory-league-table-in-h1-2025/
[3] Mergermarket (2025). JP Morgan and Houlihan Lokey Dominate North American M&A Advisory Landscape. [online] Available at: https://www.mergermarket.com/articles/jp-morgan-and-houlihan-lokey-dominate-north-american-ma-advisory-landscape-312512
[4] Refinitiv (2025). European M&A Volumes Decline Slightly in 2025, Deal Values Increase. [online] Available at: https://www.refinitiv.com/content/refinitiv-com/en/articles/2025/07/european-ma-volumes-decline-slightly-in-2025-deal-values-increase
[5] Mergermarket (2025). European M&A Volumes Decline Slightly in 2025, Deal Values Increase. [online] Available at: https://www.mergermarket.com/articles/european-ma-volumes-decline-slightly-in-2025-deal-values-increase-312512
[1] The rise of Weil, Gotshal & Manges in the European wealth management industry is evident in the finance sector, as they've been named the leading financial adviser for M&A transactions in Europe in the first half of 2025 by GlobalData.
[2] AI-driven firms, such as Goldman Sachs, are increasingly playing a significant role in the wealth management industry, as demonstrated by their continued leadership in European M&A advisory sector by deal value, further highlighting the intersection of finance, business, and technology.
