Dominance of Global Powerhouses in MEA M&A Advisory Markets

The Middle East and Africa (MEA) M&A advisory market has emerged as a battleground for global financial powerhouses, with firms like J.P. Morgan, UBS, and Rothschild & Co leveraging strategic alliances to dominate deal execution and influence investment timing. In 2025, the region's M&A activity surged by 35% year-over-year, with transaction values climbing from $11.1 billion in Q1 2024 to $15 billion in Q1 2025, according to a S&P Global analysis. This growth has intensified competition among advisory firms, which are now prioritizing cross-border partnerships to navigate geopolitical risks and capitalize on the region's economic diversification efforts.

Global Firms and Regional Powerhouses: A Tale of Two Metrics

While J.P. Morgan and Rothschild & Co have dominated by deal value and volume, respectively, regional players like Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) and UBS have carved out niche strengths. J.P. Morgan led Q1-Q3 2025 by advising on $56.5 billion in transactions, including the landmark $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts by a consortium of investors, according to Private Banker International. Meanwhile, Rothschild & Co secured the top spot by volume, advising on six deals, while RMB and UBS split the value-volume ledger: UBS advised on a single $1.6 billion transaction (the Warba Bank–Alghanim deal), while RMB advised on four deals, earning it third place by value in the S&P Global analysis.

This duality reflects the MEA market's complexity. Large, high-value deals-often involving sovereign wealth funds or cross-border consortiums-favor global banks with deep capital markets expertise. Smaller, mid-sized transactions, however, lean on regional firms like RMB and KPMG, which have localized networks and regulatory familiarity. For instance, KPMG and RMB each advised on five deals in Q4 2025, underscoring a shift toward agile, mid-market activity, as reported by Private Banker International.

Strategic Alliances: The New Currency of M&A Success

Strategic alliances have become critical for firms aiming to outmaneuver rivals in the MEA market. J.P. Morgan, for example, has deepened its partnership with Taulia, a fintech firm, to offer a bank-agnostic supply chain finance platform-an initiative reported by Private Banker International-that combines J.P. Morgan's infrastructure with Taulia's technology, enabling clients to enhance liquidity and streamline supplier onboarding-a boon for cross-border deals in the region's growing logistics sector.

Rothschild & Co, meanwhile, has leveraged its global network to execute high-volume transactions, particularly in sectors like energy and infrastructure. Its ability to tailor strategies for clients-such as structuring joint ventures or navigating regulatory hurdles-has made it a preferred partner for firms seeking flexibility in volatile markets, as described on Rothschild's M&A page. UBS, too, has emphasized strategic acquisitions as a core growth driver, with its 2025 focus on simplifying corporate portfolios and enhancing capabilities through targeted deals, according to the UBS M&A report.

These alliances are not just transactional; they are reshaping investment timing. As a BCG study notes, companies with experience in joint ventures and strategic partnerships have outperformed peers by 20% in long-term value creation. In the MEA context, where geopolitical uncertainties and fragmented regulatory frameworks delay deals, such partnerships provide a buffer. For example, the Abraham Accords have spurred bilateral economic corridors, enabling advisory firms to structure cross-border investments with reduced friction, as highlighted at the 5th PPP MENA Forum.

Investment Timing: Navigating Macroeconomic Headwinds

The post-2025 landscape is marked by a tug-of-war between macroeconomic headwinds and tailwinds. While Q2 2025 saw a dip in deal activity-driven by a 77% decline in Saudi Arabia's transaction value-Q3–Q4 rebounded with 425 deals in H1 2025, valued at $58.7 billion, according to the UBS M&A report. This volatility underscores the importance of timing. Firms like J.P. Morgan and Rothschild & Co have positioned themselves to advise clients on capitalizing on interest rate cuts and improving economic outlooks, which are expected to drive a second-half 2025 surge, as reported by Private Banker International.

Moreover, public-private partnerships (PPPs) are gaining traction as a vehicle for infrastructure development in the GCC. At the 5th PPP MENA Forum in 2025, stakeholders highlighted how advisory firms are structuring these partnerships to align with national economic diversification goals, such as Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and the UAE's green energy initiatives. These projects, often involving multi-year timelines, require advisors to balance immediate execution with long-term strategic alignment-a niche where firms like UBS and Rothschild & Co excel, per the UBS M&A report.

Conclusion: A Market Shaped by Alliances and Agility

The MEA M&A advisory market in 2025 is defined by two forces: the dominance of global powerhouses and the rise of strategic alliances. As firms like J.P. Morgan, Rothschild & Co, and UBS continue to forge partnerships that blend global expertise with regional agility, their influence on investment timing will only grow. For investors, the takeaway is clear: in a market where geopolitical risks and macroeconomic shifts are constants, the ability to leverage strategic alliances-and the advisors who facilitate them-will determine success.