David Rowe | Transaction Opinions | Kroll Chicago

David Rowe

Managing Director, Transaction Opinions

David Rowe is a Managing Director in the Opinions Practice of Kroll, based in Chicago. He has over 23 years of experience advising corporate boards, private equity fund managers, special committees formed by boards, and ESOP-owned companies and their trustees on fairness, solvency and valuation matters, as they fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities when considering corporate transactions.

David specializes in Fairness Opinions, Solvency Opinions and Surplus Opinions, Special Committee Financial Advisory, Reasonably Equivalent Value Opinions, ESOP and ERISA Advisory and Complex Valuations.

  • Fairness opinion transaction expertise includes related-party transactions including General Partner led ("GP-led") secondaries, sell side/buy side mergers & acquisitions, spin-offs/split-ups/divestitures, going-privates and ESOP transactions.
  • Solvency opinion transaction expertise includes dividend recapitalizations, spin-offs/split-offs, debt refinancings and inter-company restructurings.
  • Valuation expertise is broad and includes the valuation of complex securities, periodic valuations of the stock of ESOP-owned companies, 409A valuations, and periodic portfolio valuations for fund managers.

Representative private equity clients include:

  • Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG), Oaktree Capital Management, Advent International, 26North Partners, Arbor Investments, Centerbridge Partners, Evergreen Coast Capital, Entrepreneurial Equity Partners, Amulet Capital, Acorn Capital Management, Centerview Capital, Centergate Capital, and Speyside Equity, among others.

Representative corporate clients include:

  • Ancestry.com, Fortune Brands Innovations (NYSE: FBIN), Master Brand Inc. (NYSE: MBC), Fathom Manufacturing (NYSE: FATH), Xtek, Inc., Daubert Chemical Company, Splunk (NASDAQ: SPLK), Pacific Life, Morningstar, Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU), TXU Energy, Renewable Energy Group, Green Plains Renewable Energy, and Spencer Stuart, among others.

David has deep industry expertise in a broad range of industries given his unique background which spans executive roles for financial institutions as well as a prior consulting career in technology and manufacturing.

In addition to David’s 10 years at Kroll, David was an investment banker with Bear Stearns & Co. Inc. and served in senior executive corporate finance roles with Northern Trust and Citadel Hedge Fund.  David also has prior technology and manufacturing consulting experience with Accenture and Price Waterhouse.

Education:

  • The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, MBA, Finance and Accounting
  • The University of Michigan, BSE, Industrial and Operations Engineering (magna cum laude)
  • Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) registered representative, Series 79 and 63 licenses.

Ranked No. 1 for Global Fairness Opinions

Ranked no. 1 for U.S., EMEA and Global Fairness Opinions

Our Opinions Practice is a global leader in Fairness Opinions and Special Committee Advisory, ranking #1 for total number of fairness opinions Globally, in EMEA and the U.S. for 2024 according to LSEG (FKA Refinitiv).

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Corporate Finance and Restructuring

M&A advisory, restructuring and insolvency, debt advisory, strategic alternatives, transaction diligence and independent financial opinions.

Fairness and Solvency Opinions

Our Opinions Practice is a global leader in Fairness Opinions and Special Committee Advisory, ranking #1 for total number of fairness opinions Globally, in EMEA and the U.S. for 2024 according to LSEG (FKA Refinitiv).

Financial Sponsors Group

Dedicated coverage and access to M&A deal-flow for financial sponsors.


Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Advisory

Kroll’s investment banking practice has extensive experience in M&A deal strategy and structuring, capital raising, transaction advisory services and financial sponsor coverage.

Transaction Advisory Services

Kroll’s Transaction Advisory Services platform offers corporate and financial investors with deep accounting and technical expertise, commercial knowledge, industry insight and seamless analytical services throughout the deal continuum.

Distressed M&A and Special Situations

Kroll professionals have advised hundreds of companies, investors and other stakeholders at all stages of distressed transactions and special situations.


Commercially Reasonable Debt Opinions

Advisory on capital structure, interest rate, and the other economic terms of debt securities.