NEW YORK—Edelman has promoted Lex Suvanto to global managing director of its financial communications and capital markets offering, a newly created role responsible for expanding the offer internationally after a year in which Edelman forced its way into the top 10 deal advisors according to the league table compiled by industry authority mergermarket.

Edelman finished sixth in the value of deals worked ($299 billion) last year and seventh in volume (84) working on significant transactions including Willis’ acquisition of Gras Savoye; the DTZ merger with Cushman & Wakefield; ​FujiFIlm’s acquisition of Cellular Dynamics; ​Journal Media Group’s sale to Gannett; and ​PayPal’s acquisition of Xoom.

Having added financial communications talent in Asia—including Deborah Hayden in Japan—the firm has expanded its international financial footprint in Europe with the acquisitions of Smithfield Consultants in London and ergo in Germany.

The firm has also added talent in the US, Nadia Damouni, previously M&A team leader at Reuters; Brett Philbin, previously banking reporter at Wall Street Journal; Deb Wasser, an IR industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience most recently with Veeco Industries; and Ted McHugh, previously head of IR at a real estate investment trust.

 

Prior to joining Edelman, Suvanto was a managing director and chief marketing officer at Abernathy MacGregor, reporting to Russell Dubner, president and CEO of Edelman US.