Contact: Fabrice De Dongo
Deloitte
416 874-3249
Toronto, April 15, 2008 – The inaugural 2007 Canadian Dealmakers Gala was held on Tuesday evening to celebrate top performances in the “Art of the Deal.” Strategists, corporate executives, investment bankers and lawyers in advisory and underwriting roles in M&A were honoured. Sponsored by Deloitte, Lexpert®, the Globe and Mail and Thomson Financial, the awards target Canadian-headquartered companies or funds that have announced and completed transactions in 2007 or are likely to complete them in 2008.
The leading Deal Team of the Year award was presented to Fortis Inc. and its financial and legal advisors – CIBC World Markets Inc., Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, and Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP – for the Terasen Inc. acquisition. Fortis Inc. was also the recipient of the industry award for the Energy, Power & Utilities sector.
Comments Deloitte Partner Charles Knight, “This event celebrates the art – and the science – of some of the most high-profile transactions in recent Canadian history. Every merger, acquisition, joint venture, disposition or strategic alliance has the potential to unlock significant value, but only a few achieve the level of success recognized here.”
The awards honour Canadian companies and individuals whose transactions have significantly impacted their industry through innovation and growth; establishment of best practices; enhancement of customer needs and products; and creation of value. The judging panel considered quantitative factors, including value creation, financial soundness and improved industry ranking as well as qualitative factors, including strength of deal thesis, complexity of the deal, pre-integration planning and extent of post-merger integration activities.
The Canadian Dealmakers Gala was attended by 400 corporate executives, legal professionals and investment bankers. The net proceeds raised from the Gala were donated to Junior Achievement of Canada. For more information, visit Canadian Dealmakers of 2007.
The Canadian Dealmakers of 2007 award winners are:
| Recipient | Award | Acquisition | Value ($millions) | Advisors |
Agrium Inc.
(Calgary) | Materials Industry Award | UAP Holding Corp. | $2,699 | Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; RBC Capital Markets Corporation |
| Astral Media Inc. (Montreal) | Consumer Products and Services Industry Award | Standard Broadcasting Corporation | $935 | National Bank Financial Inc.; National Bank of Canada; Stikeman Elliott LLP; Watson Wyatt Canada; Ernst & Young LLP |
Canadian Pacific Railway Limited
(Calgary) | Industrials Industry Award | Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation | $2,537 | Leonard Street and Deinard;
Morgan Stanley Canada Limited; RBC Capital Markets Corporation; Sidley Austin LLP |
Fortis Inc.
(St John’s) | Deal Team of the Year Energy, Power & Utilities Industry Award (2 separate awards) | Terasen Inc. | $3,807 | CIBC World Markets Inc.; Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, and Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP. |
| TD Bank Financial Group (Toronto) | Finance & Real Estate Industry Award Foreign Acquisition Award (2 separate awards) | Commerce Bancorp, New Jersey | $8,638 | Davis Polk & Wardwell; JPMorgan; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc.; Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP; TD Securities Inc. |
Yamana Gold Inc.
(Toronto) | Mining Industry Award Value Creation Award (2 separate awards) | Meridian Gold Inc. | $3,202 | Canaccord Capital Inc.; Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP; Dorsey & Whitney LLP; Genuity Capital Markets; JPMorgan; Wellington West Capital Inc. |
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