M&A Advisor

An M&A advisor (mergers and acquisitions advisor) is a professional who advises business owners on the sale, purchase, or merger of mid-market businesses, typically transactions valued above $5 million. M&A advisors manage the entire transaction process, including business preparation, confidential marketing to a targeted buyer list, running a structured sale process, negotiating with multiple bidders, and coordinating through closing.

Unlike business brokers, M&A advisors typically charge an upfront retainer plus a success fee, do not list businesses on public marketplaces, and work exclusively with a small number of clients at a time. The Mergers and Acquisitions Master Intermediary (M&AMI) designation from the IBBA is a credential specific to M&A advisors operating in the middle market.

The practical distinction between a business broker and an M&A advisor is primarily transaction size and process: brokers handle the Main Street market (under $5 million), while M&A advisors operate in the lower and upper middle markets ($5 million and above), though overlap exists in the $2–10 million range.

See also: Business Broker, M&AMI, Success Fee, Retainer, Lehman Formula, IBBA.