WHY HIRE BENTLEY?
Middle market companies should select Bentley for their investment banking needs for many important reasons:
EXPERIENCED SENIOR PROFESSIONALS
EXCELLENT PRIOR EXPERIENCE: Before joining Bentley, our Managing Directors have typically spent 15-30 years at major Wall Street firms. These seasoned professionals have substantial experience in representing clients in a wide variety of transactions, under various market conditions.
SENIOR LEVEL ATTENTION: Comprised of only senior level professionals, Bentley is committed to having its 27 senior people actually execute the transaction and stay actively involved throughout the project, regardless of deal size.
PROFESSIONALS’ CONTINUITY: Bentley has experienced very little turnover, with 18 of its 23 senior professionals with the firm for at least 5 years and 10 for at least 10 years. (See Team)
INTERNATIONAL BACKGROUND & CAPABILITIES: Several of our professionals have lived and worked overseas, and we have the necessary contacts to complete transactions in Europe, Asia, Latin/Central America and other important markets.
CRITICAL MASS: Our growing investment banking group exceeds the size of most boutique investment banks. Each Bentley professional can draw on the expertise of all other senior investment bankers.
INDEPENDENT RECOGNITION: The Association for Corporate Growth has chosen Bentley as the “Investment Banking Firm of the Year”. Also, The M&A Advisor has selected Bentley as the winner for “Boutique Investment Banking Firm of the Year” and as a finalist for “Boutique Investment Banking Firm of the Year – International”. The M&A Advisor selected Bentley to receive the “Middle Market Deal of the Year ($100 Million – $250 Million)” .
EXPERTISE
MULTIPLE INDUSTRY COVERAGE: We have also worked with companies in many different industries. With specialists in building materials & services, business services, consumer/retail, financial services, gaming/casinos, health care, industrial/distribution, media/communications, power/energy, real estate/lodging, technology/internet/software, and travel/leisure, we also have many “generalists” who have worked extensively with a wide variety of other industries. (See Industries)
SPECIALIZED SERVICES: Our team includes specialists in mergers/acquisitions/divestitures, private placements, and fund raising for funds to provide the full range of professional investment banking services. (See Services)
MIDDLE MARKET FOCUS: We specialize in the unique needs of middle market companies, often managed by an owner/entrepreneur or owned by a financial sponsor, who are seeking creative investment banking services from senior level professionals.
CONNECTIONS
ACCESS TO INSTITUTIONAL CAPITAL SOURCES: We have access to many institutional sources of debt and equity capital. Our excellent network of private equity funds is beneficial to either raise growth capital from venture funds or to sell companies to buyout funds. Over 1000 institutions have made formal presentations about their investment criteria to the Bentley professionals at our weekly group meetings.
MAJOR WALL STREET FIRM CONNECTIONS: Having worked previously at major firms, we have excellent connections at almost all of the major Wall Street firms. These high level contacts can benefit our clients as we assist them on certain transactions such as public offerings, tender offers, etc.
MANY LONG-ESTABLISHED REFERRAL PROGRAMS: Bentley has contractual referral relationships with three major investment banks for transactions below their very high deal size thresholds.
INDEPENDENCE & CLIENT FOCUS
NO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: As a completely independent investment banking advisory firm, Bentley acts only as an advisor or agent, not as a principal or merchant banker. Bentley does not have the inherent conflicts of interest that can arise at major financial institutions who have in-house investment funds, trading desks, sales departments, and/or research analysts.
CUSTOMIZED FEE STRUCTURES: Unencumbered by an institutionalized fee structure and excessive corporate overhead, we can tailor our fees to our client’s needs and the nature of the transaction on a basis that is attractive to the client.
PROFESSIONALISM
PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICS: Bentley’s senior-level investment bankers take pride in the firm’s corporate culture that emphasizes professionalism and “old fashioned” ethics, both externally in dealing with our clients and internally in our interactions with fellow professionals.
NO LITIGATION: The firm is particularly proud that it has not been involved in litigation during its entire 33-year history.
CONFIDENTIALITY: Bentley is able to maintain confidential material under close supervision, particularly when compared to larger firms in which many professionals may have access to such confidential client information.
REGISTERED BROKER-DEALER AFFILIATE: Bentley Securities Corporation (a totally separate entity, but an affiliate through common ownership) is a licensed broker-dealer that is registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (S.E.C.).