The 2025 Investment Bankers to Watch
Curated by Middle Market DealMaker editors based on more than 130 nominations
This year’s Investment Bankers to Watch list was curated by Middle Market DealMaker editors based on input from the ACG dealmaking community.
The honorees featured on the following pages stood out for their M&A advisory work in a tepid year for deal activity. Many used the slower period to strengthen relationships with the private equity sponsor community and fine-tune their strategies, setting them up for a banner year in 2025.
Read on to learn more about how our Investment Bankers to Watch spent last year and their goals for the months ahead.
JAY CHAUDHARI
Executive Director, 1858 Capital Partners | Winter Park, FL
PROUDEST 2024 PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: I am proud of the brand, reputation and culture we have built at 1858 Capital Partners. These three key areas were essential when we launched the firm three years ago, and I believe we have successfully established them in 2024. We achieved this by building the firm around teamwork and accountability, focusing on the quality of our deliverables for clients and buyers, and strengthening the relationships we have developed within the market. Importantly, we made sure not to sacrifice having fun. We wanted teamwork to be not just about collaboration but also about enjoying each other’s company. We achieve this by planning team-building events and strategic planning sessions that engage everyone on the team.
PROFESSIONAL GOAL FOR 2025: My goal for 2025 is focused on growth, and I believe the timing in the M&A market could not be better. We have established the firm over the last three years and are excited about entering this next phase. We are currently exploring options to expand our office space in Winter Park, Florida, allowing for additional offices, meeting rooms and open working areas. We are also interviewing candidates who want to join our team and contribute to our firm’s growth. Additionally, we plan to introduce new services that will enhance our current market offerings. These initiatives will enable us to take on more clients and continue growing the firm while maintaining our boutique atmosphere.
SHIVALI BHAMMER
Director, Sponsor Coverage, Raymond James | New York, NY and London, UK
PROUDEST 2024 PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: There isn’t a stand-alone accomplishment that springs to mind, however I was tasked with broadening our coverage to include private equity firms that were either smaller in fund size, less well-known to us or new to the market. Within the space of a year, this resulted in several pitches and one great win for our coverage bankers, which would not have manifested without the rapid build and investment in these new relationships. I think it illustrates the strength of our industry bankers and I am grateful for their trust in me to grow our sponsor coverage effort.
PROFESSIONAL GOAL FOR 2025: I would like to see the firm convert pitch opportunities I help arrange into mandates. It takes several years to build a relationship from scratch such that you become a “household name” within the walls of a particular private equity firm. I would like to do that in a faster than normal way by delivering thoughtful content, consistency and authentic relationship management.
JAKE MICHALKO
Vice President, BMO Middle Market M&A | Minneapolis, MN
PROUDEST 2024 PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: Despite deal volume remaining sluggish last year, I’m thrilled that our contribution attributable to the financial sponsor community has increased year-overyear. This is a direct result of the sustained, relentless efforts of our entire financial sponsors team. The team has continued to hone our resources to bring a client- centric approach to each discussion, while maintaining our focus on high-quality opportunities.
PROFESSIONAL GOAL FOR 2025: For the following year, my primary objective is to leverage our internal data and technological tools to support and strengthen BMO’s platform. Through improved efficiency, we can exceed our clients’ objectives by delivering tailored solutions for each of their unique needs. This will increase brand recognition and lead to more deal opportunities within the M&A landscape, as business owners and private equity clients seek to accomplish their monetization goals.
LOGAN PHILP
Senior Vice President, Business Development, KPMG Corporate Finance | Toronto, ON
PROUDEST 2024 PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: At its core, middle-market investment banking is still very much driven by relationships, experience and trust. I am proud to be a part of a team that continues to build long-term relationships, both with our clients and with a diverse group of financial sponsors in Canada and internationally. Our team has built a strong reputation for providing high-quality, independent advice and has the track record of being one of the leading financial advisors in Canada.
PROFESSIONAL GOAL FOR 2025: To continue to develop enduring relationships with the financial sponsors and founders we have the pleasure of working with on a daily basis, and to support our team in providing high-quality advice to our clients by listening to the market.
FIDEH BRUNDIRKS
Vice President, Business Development, Blue River Financial Group | Bloomfield Hills, MI
PROUDEST 2024 PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: Taking on the business development role for Blue River in 2024 has been a rewarding accomplishment. As the firm’s first dedicated BD professional, I had the unique opportunity to build this role from the ground up, without existing frameworks or established processes. This challenge allowed me to implement innovative strategies, establish streamlined workflows and drive impactful growth for the firm. It’s been incredibly exciting to shape this new role and see its positive impact on our clients and overall success.
PROFESSIONAL GOAL FOR 2025: In 2025, I’m focused on driving meaningful connections and creating innovative strategies in business development. A key goal is to pioneer dynamic, motion-enhanced marketing materials—transforming how opportunities are presented in the buy-side M&A space. This creative leap aims to set a new industry standard, making complex ideas more engaging and impactful. I’m also committed to streamlining processes and identifying fresh ways to support clients in achieving their strategic goals. By embracing innovation and challenging the norm, I hope to inspire growth and collaboration while shaping the future of M&A advisory.
ZACH WIERSMA
Director, Investment Banking, Charter Capital | Grand Rapids, MI
PROUDEST 2024 PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: In 2024, I’m most proud of our entire team’s efforts in achieving a record year in transaction value, despite the overall M&A market being relatively slow. This milestone stands as a direct reflection of the trust that our clients and referral partners have in us to guide them through important transactions effectively and efficiently. Throughout the year, this was accomplished by focusing on relationships with leaders in the industries that we spend the most time in, dedication to clean and efficient processes that are continuously reviewed for improvements, and ongoing significant investment in relationships with our referral partners.
PROFESSIONAL GOAL FOR 2025: For 2025, my overarching professional goal is to expand on business development efforts in new and existing markets while maintaining a premier level of client service. Across our group, the foundation for growth laid over the last few years has proven effective, and in 2025 we will look to expand that model in new markets. Ultimately, 2025 will likely be a more active year in the M&A market than 2024 across the board, so a high level of execution will be important to maintain while focusing on growth.
AARON DAVIDS
Managing Director, Oberon Securities | Toronto, ON
PROUDEST 2024 PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: In 2024, I built an effective buy-side practice at Oberon, leveraging my private equity background to provide high-quality, tailored deal origination services. I take pride in the trusted relationships we’ve developed with clients and am grateful for their recognition of the results delivered by aligning M&A opportunities with their investment theses. I also established and led a financial sponsor coverage team to consolidate deal flow from over 70 senior bankers, strengthening relationships with investors and showcasing Oberon’s deep market expertise. This initiative expanded our buyer universe, improved access to deal flow and resulted in new engagements and successful deal closures.
PROFESSIONAL GOAL FOR 2025: My goal is to further establish our buy-side advisory as a valued partner to private equity firms, family offices and strategic acquirers. In today’s competitive M&A landscape, the growing demand for high-quality deal flow presents significant challenges for acquirers. By delivering exceptional outsourced business development and partner-level M&A expertise, I aim to help clients build stronger pipelines and close more transactions.
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