Lazard’s Industry Experts Cited for Key Insights Ahead of 2025

Throughout 2024, several Lazard industry experts were cited by leading media sources across the globe for timely and insightful perspectives on a variety of topics, from global M&A trends to regional economic outlooks and sector-specific forecasts for 2025. These numerous engagements underscore the depth and diversity of Lazard's expertise, as our thought leaders continued to shape and influence discussions on key economic and business decisions worldwide.

On the global mergers and acquisitions environment, Mark McMaster, Lazard Global Head of M&A, has been a prominent voice, quoted twice in Bloomberg on December 17 and December 18. His in-depth analysis of the latest trends and future expectations in M&A provided readers with a comprehensive understanding of market dynamics, noting, “Looking to 2025, we expect companies across a diverse mix of sectors to use large M&A to strengthen and reposition their portfolios for their next phase of growth. Strategic players are likely to remain the dominant force for M&A activity.” 

Sector-specific features from Lazard experts provided insights into specialized areas of the market. Nadira Huda, Managing Director, contributed to discussions on the secondaries market in Europe, with her insights covered in Private Equity International. Mary-Ann Deignan, Lazard Head of Capital Markets Advisory, also provided commentary in the Wall Street Journal regarding global shareholder activism, highlighting the latest trends and strategic considerations for companies and investors navigating this complex landscape.

In the broader European market, Cyrus Kapadia, Lazard Co-Head of European Investment Banking, was featured four time in Financial News. His viewpoints on the risks and opportunities for the European economy in the year ahead and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in business have offered valuable guidance into the region's future prospects. Additionally, he commented on Lazard's plans for growth through increased senior hiring efforts.

France is one of Lazard's key centers of business, where its experts offer critical insights into the region's economic landscape. Guillaume Molinier, Managing Director, provided his perspective on the French market outlook in Les Echos, shedding light on the country’s financial future. He commented, "There is clearly an inflection point. Transaction volumes remain below the long-term average and trail the recovery seen in other major European markets, largely due to political, economic, and fiscal uncertainties.”

Lazard's Co-Heads of DACH Financial Advisory, Christian Kames and Marcus Schenck, shared their financial expertise on the central European region. Christian shared his outlook on the region’s economic prospects in Handelsblatt, pointing out that improved financing and transformative trends like artificial intelligence are key drivers for the anticipated rise in M&A volume in 2025. Marcus also discussed the M&A environment with Reuters, offering a comprehensive view of market dynamics and opportunities.