ACP Capital Markets Research
Advisory Approach
ACP Capital Markets is an independent, employee-owned investment bank and broker-dealer specializing in emerging markets and cross-border transactions. The firm operates with a distinctive thesis: that deep domain expertise in specialized sectors combined with global capital markets access creates superior outcomes for middle-market clients. Their sweet spot encompasses complex, cross-border transactions where operational complexity, geographic diversity, or special situations create valuation opacity that generalist firms cannot address.
The firm differentiates itself through three core capabilities: (1) Capital Markets expertise in both public and private equity and debt placements, (2) M&A and Advisory services with particular strength in de-SPAC transactions and cross-border deals, and (3) Special Situations capabilities including litigation finance, restructuring, and distressed debt advisory. ACP's team members average 20+ years of experience and have held senior positions at major institutions including Bank of America, UBS, Salomon Brothers, Lazard, and B. Riley Securities.
Sector Focus
ACP maintains deep expertise across nine industry verticals, with particular strength in sectors undergoing transition or experiencing special situations:
Metals & Mining: The metals and mining practice has 35+ years of experience advising clients across the entire value chain, from mining companies to physical merchants and financiers. The team has raised in excess of $7 billion in equity and debt capital and advised on transactions ranging from low double-digit millions to several billion dollars. Recent work includes advising Blue Sky Uranium Corp. on an earn-in transaction with Corporación América Group for the Ivana Uranium-Vanadium Deposit in Argentina.
Agriculture & Agribusiness: Focuses on large-scale, professionally operated agribusiness models seeking institutional or strategic capital. The team has completed capital raisings and M&A transactions across permanent crops, row crops, and protein sectors in the US, Latin America, Australia, Africa, and OECD countries. A recent transaction involved a US$60 million debt raise for a Peruvian company producing avocados, blueberries, and table grapes.
Defense & Security: Specializes in higher-margin, specialized security service providers (K9, aviation, oil/gas, resources, infrastructure) and safety equipment manufacturers serving private sector, law enforcement, and government counterparts (US/NATO and NATO Allied). The firm completed a series of transactions for a US K-9 aviation explosives screening leader, including receivables factoring, structured term debt, M&A acquisitions, and a control equity sale.
Energy & Industrial Decarbonization: Led by Asit Sen, former Head of Net Zero & Energy Transition Advisory at Bank of America, this practice focuses on large-scale decarbonization projects, Future of Energy capital raises, and cross-border capital market solutions, particularly the US-India Economic Corridor.
Telecommunications: Active in telecom transactions including senior secured credit facilities and structured credit facilities. The team advised on the sale of a telecom company's non-core portfolio.
Aerospace & Defense: Focuses on manufacturing and value-added distributors serving private sector and government (US/NATO) counterparties, including personal ballistic protection, specialized apparel, and firearms components.
Deal Track Record
ACP has completed numerous significant transactions across its target sectors:
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SRIVARU Holding Ltd. de-SPAC (2023): Served as financial adviser to SRIVARU, a leading Indian electric motorcycle manufacturer, in its business combination with Mobiv Acquisition Corp (Nasdaq: MOBV). The transaction valued SRIVARU at approximately $195 million pro forma enterprise value, with potential total consideration of up to $409 million including performance earnouts. This was the first U.S.-listed electric motorcycle company with manufacturing facilities based in India.
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Blue Sky Uranium Earn-In Transaction (2024-2025): Acting as joint financial advisor, ACP advised Blue Sky Uranium Corp. on an earn-in transaction with Abatare Spain (part of Corporación América Group) for the Ivana Uranium-Vanadium Deposit in Argentina. The transaction involves up to $160 million in development funding to reach commercial production, with ACP earning advisory fees including 2.5% on capital contributions during the earn-in period and 1.5% on development-stage contributions.
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Manuka Strategic Review (2023): Engaged as exclusive financial advisor to Manuka, Inc., an Israel-based beauty company developing Manuka honey and bee venom skincare products, to explore strategic alternatives including sale, merger, or reverse merger.
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K-9 Security Screening Transactions: Completed a series of transactions for a US-based veteran-owned K-9 aviation explosives screening leader, including receivables factoring, structured term debt facilities, multiple M&A acquisitions of competitors, and a control equity sale to a strategic industry player.
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Sample Transactions from Platform: The firm's website showcases additional transactions including a $150 million automotive business combination (sole financial advisor), $75 million air cargo logistics control sale (exclusive financial advisor), $60 million agriculture 7-year secured term loan (sole financial advisor), $45 million telecom 5-year structured credit facility (joint financial advisor), and $25 million specialty finance senior secured credit facility (sole financial advisor).
The Metals & Mining team specifically reports having advised on M&A transactions from low double-digit millions to several billions in enterprise value and raising in excess of $7 billion in equity and debt capital over their careers.
Process & Fee Structure
ACP runs institutional-quality processes tailored to each transaction type:
M&A Process: Competitive and negotiated processes, both buy-side and sell-side, with exhaustive buyer outreach. The team leverages global relationships across 2,000+ institutional investors, private equity firms, and strategic acquirers.
Capital Markets Process: Direct placement capabilities with both debt and equity investors. The firm maintains longstanding relationships with institutional investors, providing timely market insights and strengthening execution quality.
Fee Structure: ACP typically engages on a success-fee basis for M&A transactions, with retainers credited against success fees. For capital markets transactions, the firm earns placement fees on successfully raised capital. Specific fee terms are negotiated per engagement based on transaction complexity and size. Minimum engagement sizes typically start in the $10 million+ range for M&A advisory.
Buyer Network
ACP maintains relationships with 2,000+ active capital sources across multiple categories:
Private Equity: Relationships span emerging markets-focused PE funds, sector-specific funds (metals & mining, agribusiness, aerospace & defense), and generalist middle-market PE firms.
Strategic Buyers: Access to Fortune 500 industrials, European manufacturers, and global strategic acquirers in the firm's focus sectors.
Family Offices & Sovereign Wealth: Direct relationships with family offices and sovereign wealth investors, particularly in Latin America, India, and the Middle East.
Special Situations Investors: Access to distressed debt funds, litigation finance providers, and special situations strategies.
Cross-Border Capability: The firm's US-India Economic Corridor focus and Latin America origination capabilities provide access to international buyers not typically reached by domestic-focused advisors.
Competitive Positioning
ACP differentiates from other middle-market banks through:
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Cross-Border Expertise: Deep experience in US-India, US-Latin America, and cross-border transactions, with team members fluent in multiple languages and established networks in emerging markets.
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Sector Specialization: Unlike generalist boutiques, ACP maintains dedicated practices in Metals & Mining, Agriculture, Defense & Security, and Energy Transition with practitioners who have operated in those industries.
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Capital Markets + M&A: Most boutiques focus exclusively on M&A advisory. ACP combines M&A capabilities with direct capital markets access, allowing the firm to advise on the full spectrum of financing alternatives.
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Special Situations Capability: Expertise in litigation finance, restructuring, and special situations that most middle-market firms cannot address.
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Employee-Owned Independence: As an employee-owned firm with no external shareholders or corporate parent, ACP's advice is free from conflicts of interest and aligned solely with client success.
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de-SPAC Expertise: The team has extensive experience representing companies for whom SPAC business combinations are viable alternatives to traditional IPOs, with 20+ years of SPAC transaction experience.
Not a Fit If
ACP typically declines engagements that:
- Fall below $10 million in enterprise value for M&A advisory
- Require pure domestic US focus without cross-border elements (though exceptions are made for sector expertise)
- Involve industries outside the firm's nine focus sectors
- Require extensive retail distribution or consumer-facing capabilities
- Are purely asset sales without going-concern operations
Team
The firm's leadership includes senior professionals with decades of experience:
Sagiv Shiv - Head of M&A and Advisory: Formerly led M&A teams at National Securities Corp., StoneX Inc., and Merriman Capital. Prior CFO of The Plastiflex Group (6,000 employees, 10 locations globally). Recipient of M&A Deal of the Year Award (cross-border, under $500M) for 2014 and Turnaround Deal of the Year Award (healthcare, under $50M) for 2019. Holds Series 7, 24, 63, 79, and 99 securities licenses. Ph.D. in International Finance.
Asit Sen - Head of Energy Transition & Industrial Decarbonization: Former Head of Net Zero & Energy Transition Advisory at Bank of America (7 years). Contributed to BofA's $1.5 trillion environmental business commitment. 25+ years of experience in investment banking, capital markets, and sustainable finance. CFA charterholder with BS in Chemical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur and MBA from Baruch College.
Bruce Anfindsen - Partner, Founding Partner: 20+ years in investment banking, credit research, and principal investing. Former Head of Origination for UBS's Emerging Markets proprietary trading desk ($1.5+ billion AUM). MBA from Tuck School at Dartmouth, BA from Middlebury College.
Quintus von Bonin - Head of Metals & Mining: 35+ years of investment banking experience at B. Riley Securities, National Securities, INTL FCStone, Salomon Brothers, and Lazard Brothers. Joint responsibility for building the market-leading ferrous industry investment banking practice on Wall Street. Dr. rer. soc. oec. and Mag. rer. Soc. oec. from University of Innsbruck, Austria.
The firm employs approximately 20-25 professionals across Partners, Managing Directors, Directors, Vice Presidents, and Advisors, supported by a roster of senior Advisors who provide sector-specific expertise.
Geographic Coverage
Primary Markets: Stamford, CT (headquarters); New York, NY (M&A lead); with team members distributed across key geographies.
Emerging Markets Focus: Deep expertise in Latin America (through Bruce Anfindsen's origination work), India (through Asit Sen's US-India Economic Corridor focus), and select African markets.
Cross-Border Capabilities: The firm's team members have executed transactions across the US, Latin America (Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina), Europe, India, and other emerging markets.
FINRA Registration: ACP is registered as a broker-dealer through its affiliate Aldwych Securities LLC (CRD# 167980), established in 2012, with registrations in Connecticut and New York.