Young & Partners Research
Advisory Approach
Young & Partners is a specialized investment banking firm focused exclusively on the chemical and life science industries. Now in its 31st year, the firm operates with a clear thesis: deep industry expertise combined with first-rate investment banking and corporate strategy consulting creates superior outcomes for clients in these specialized sectors.
The firm's approach is distinctive in several ways. Unlike generalist investment banks, Young & Partners maintains proprietary internal R&D that generates unique analyses of industry strategic, M&A, financing, stock market, and valuation trends. This research-driven approach allows them to provide differentiated advice and execution that generalist firms cannot match.
Senior professionals with 20+ years of experience directly manage all projects—many were heads of chemicals or life science investment banking at leading firms like Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley, and Salomon Brothers before joining Young & Partners. This ensures clients receive institutional-quality advice from bankers who understand the technical and strategic nuances of chemical and life science transactions.
Sector Focus
Young & Partners concentrates on two primary industries:
Chemicals: The firm has deep expertise across petrochemicals, commodity chemicals, specialty chemicals, fine chemicals, and fertilizers. They understand the technical complexities, market dynamics, and valuation drivers unique to chemical manufacturing. Their team includes former chemical engineers and industry operators who grasp plant-level economics that often create valuation opacity for generalist bankers.
Life Sciences: The firm's life sciences practice spans pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and the intersection industries (APIs, life science tools, CDMOs). This positions them uniquely to advise on transactions that bridge chemicals and healthcare—such as fine chemical companies selling pharmaceutical ingredients, or CDMOs serving both markets.
Deal Track Record
The senior members of Young & Partners have completed a large number of transactions and financings for companies globally over many years. Selected representative transactions include:
Chemical Industry Transactions:
- Acted as advisor to Apollo in its $1.5 billion acquisition of Taminco from CVC Capital Partners
- Acted as advisor to KKR in the $1.2 billion sale of Borden Chemical to Apollo Management
- Acted as advisor to Blackstone in the $4.2 billion LBO financing for Celanese Corporation
- Acted as advisor to Lyondell in the $2.2 billion acquisition of PDVSA's 41.25% stake
- Acted as advisor to Texas Pacific Group in the $770 million acquisition of Kraton Polymers from Ripplewood Holdings
- Acted as advisor to Honeywell in the acquisition of Dow Chemical's 50% stake in UOP LLC
- Acted as advisor to Apollo Management in the $860 million sale of Shell's Global Resins and Versatics business
- Acted as advisor to Occidental Petroleum in the $300 million acquisition of INDSPEC Chemical from Castle Harlan
Life Science Transactions:
- Acted as advisor to Caliper Life Sciences in its acquisition of NovaScreen
- Co-managed the $87 million IPO of Chirex, a pharmaceutical and intermediates company
- Acted as advisor to Genzyme Corporation in the sale of its Genzyme Pharmaceutical Ingredients Business to International Chemical Investors Group
- Acted as advisor to Insignis Therapeutics in multiple rounds of private placement financing
- Acted as advisor to LKC Technologies in a private placement for this retinal diagnostics company
- Acted as advisor to SilverMill in its acquisition of Cedarlane Laboratories
The firm's activities are frequently international and cross-border in nature, with transactions spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. Their extensive global network includes relationships with leading private equity firms (Apollo, KKR, Blackstone, TPG, Ripplewood, Castle Harlan, Rhône Capital), strategic buyers (BASF, Dow Chemical, Bayer, Shell, Honeywell, DSM), and international corporations.
Process & Fee Structure
Young & Partners runs a senior-led, relationship-focused process. All projects are directly managed by senior professionals with 20+ years of experience—not junior bankers learning on the job. The firm emphasizes long-term client relationships over short-term fee maximization, with no pressure from a parent organization to generate minimum revenue per client.
Their structured approach includes:
- Proprietary financial and industry analyses derived from internal R&D
- Identification of financing strategies and acquisition/divestiture candidates that enhance shareholder value
- Thorough understanding of target operations, strategies, and management styles
- Extensive contacts throughout corporations with ability to identify appropriate contact points
- Highest level confidentiality and superior control of sensitive information
- Extensive international and cross-border transaction experience
The firm is structured to avoid any internal or external conflicts of interest—a critical advantage in specialized industries where information leakage can derail transactions.
Buyer Network
Young & Partners maintains extensive relationships developed over 31 years of focused chemical and life science investment banking. Their buyer network includes:
Private Equity: Apollo Management, KKR, Blackstone, Texas Pacific Group, Ripplewood Holdings, Castle Harlan, Rhône Capital, CVC Capital Partners, AEA Investors, Seahook Capital
Strategic Buyers: BASF, Dow Chemical, Bayer, Shell, Honeywell, DSM, Ineos, Great Lakes Chemical, Lyondell, Occidental Petroleum, Sandoz, Cognis
International Corporations: Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Nippon Sanso, ÖMV, Oxiteno S/A (Brazil), TransCanada Pipeline
This deep network allows Young & Partners to identify and reach the most likely buyers for any chemical or life science asset, including strategic acquirers who may not be on generalist bankers' radars.
Competitive Positioning
Young & Partners differentiates through:
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Specialization: The only firm combining first-rate investment banking, deep chemical/life science industry knowledge, and corporate strategy consulting expertise in one practice
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Research-Driven: Internal R&D generates proprietary analyses that often differ from conventional wisdom and provide competitive advantages in positioning and negotiation
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Senior-Level Execution: All work done by professionals with 20+ years experience, many former heads of chemical/life science banking at major firms
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Conflict-Free: Structured to avoid internal and external conflicts of interest
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Long-Term Focus: Emphasis on lasting relationships, not transactional fee maximization
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Cross-Border Capability: Extensive international transaction experience across Americas, Europe, and Asia
Not a Fit If
Young & Partners typically declines:
- Transactions outside chemical and life science industries (their exclusive focus)
- Situations where speed supersedes thorough preparation (they believe proper positioning prevents value loss)
- Clients seeking generalist advice without specialized industry knowledge
Team
Peter Young – Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Mr. Young founded Young & Partners in 1996 and manages the firm. Previously, he was Global Head of Chemicals Investment Banking at Lehman Brothers, head of the Chemical Groups at Salomon Brothers and Schroders, and a senior executive at J.H. Whitney & Co. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School (Baker Scholar with High Distinction), an MS in Accounting from NYU, and a BA in Economics from Yale. He is a Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Global Management Accountant, and serves as President of Société de Chimie Industrielle. He received the 2017 Science History Institute Richard Boyle Award and the 2025 Foreign Policy Association Medal.
Stephen M. Floyd – Managing Director Steve has extensive M&A advisory, valuation, and financing experience in petrochemicals, specialty chemicals, and fertilizers. Previously Managing Director and Co-Head of Global Chemicals and Fertilizers at Morgan Stanley & Co., responsible for North and South America, Japan, and Asia. Clients have included Agrium, Air Products, Dow Chemical, DuPont, BP Chemicals, Celanese, CF Industries, and Westlake Chemical. He holds an ScB in Chemical Engineering from Brown University.
Dr. Stephen Paul Spielberg – Senior Advisor Dr. Spielberg has had a 40-year career in pediatrics, clinical pharmacology, drug safety, and pharmacogenomics. Formerly Deputy Commissioner for Medical Products at the US FDA, VP for Pediatric Drug Development at Johnson & Johnson, and Dean of Dartmouth Medical School. He provides regulatory and scientific expertise on projects where this background benefits clients.
Geographic Coverage
Headquartered in New York City (535 Fifth Avenue, 4th Floor), Young & Partners serves clients globally across North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. The firm's transactions frequently involve cross-border elements, reflecting the global nature of the chemical and life science industries.