Corporate Finance & Restructuring Awards

The list recognizes women in the New York City metropolitan area who excel in accounting or consulting functions and demonstrate a commitment to mentorship and the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

As a firm, FTI Consulting has consistently led the Restructuring Advisor league table for over 12 consecutive years since its inception in the third quarter of 2007.

Mr. Strek and Mr. Del Genio received the Mega Company Transaction of the Year Award for their work with Essar Steel Algoma Inc., Mr. Zucker received the Mid-Size Company Turnaround of the Year Award for his work with Acadiana Management Group and Mr. Star received the Mid-Size Company Transaction of the Year Award for his work with Gibson Brands, Inc. 

As a firm, FTI Consulting has consistently led the Restructuring Advisor league table for over 12 consecutive years since its inception in the third quarter of 2007.

The Turnaround Atlas Awards recognize firms that exhibit excellence in the restructuring, distressed investing, insolvency, special situations M&A transactions, and turnaround practices.

The company was honored as Arbitration Firm of the Year, Consulting Firm of the Year, Insurance Expert Witnesses Firm of the Year and Restructuring & Insolvency Advisors Firm of the Year. Compass Lexecon was also honored as Competition Economics Firm of the Year.

Andrew Morrison, Senior Managing Director in FTI Consulting’s Corporate Finance & Restructuring segment, received WWL Restructuring & Insolvency Advisors Expert of the Year award, with an 22 additional Corporate Finance & Restructuring professionals around the world were named to the 2019 Restructuring & Insolvency Advisors list.

Additionally, Greg Watson, Andrew Morrison and David Griffin were recognized as Global Elite Thought Leaders.

Mr. Del Genio joined FTI Consulting with its acquisition of CDG Group in 2017 and has more than 30 years of experience in restructuring and mergers and acquisitions advisory.

As a firm, FTI Consulting has consistently led the Restructuring Advisor league table for 12 consecutive years since its inception in the third quarter of 2007.

The Turnaround, Restructuring & Insolvency Awards are the landmark awards for the turnaround, restructuring and insolvency profession, promoting the work and commitment across the firms, teams and individuals in turnaround, funding, corporate restructuring, insolvency and personal debt advice.

The M&A Advisor Awards identify and honor the leading transactions, firms and individuals that represent the highest levels of achievement across the industry, covering lower, middle market and multi-billion-dollar restructurings and transactions.

Each year, the TMA recognizes chapter members who orchestrate a non-operational restructuring to preserve value in a distressed business.

The Top 50 Americas Rising Star Dealmakers is a pioneer awards program presented by the Global M&A Network that recognizes exceptional dealmakers from the private equity, legal, investment bank and wider M&A deal communities who play an influential role in their company and the industry.<\p>

FTI Consulting was also named Consulting Firm of the Year in the 2018 WWL Awards.

Consulting Experts Guide: Andrew Morrison, Chad Griffin, David Griffin, John Ayres, John Batchelor, Joshua Taylor, Ken Fung, Nick Gronow, Simon Granger and Steven Simms

Asset Recovery: Andrew Morrison, David Griffin, John Ayres, John Batchelor and Nick Gronow

Thought Leaders Global: Joshua Taylor and Simon Granger

Energy: Aris Karcanias

Mr. McDonagh has more than 13 years of experience representing companies, secured lenders and unsecured creditors in out-of-court and Chapter 11 restructuring transactions.

Ms. Gutzeit has been recognized in the Excellence in Leadership category, which honors professionals who have helped advance new thinking to identify and address client needs. Ms. Gutzeit has more than 30 years of experience advising on operational and financial improvements, restructurings and project management, including serving as interim Chief Financial Officer.

As a firm, FTI Consulting has consistently led the Restructuring Adviser league table for 11 consecutive years since its inception in the third quarter of 2007.

The Turnaround and Transaction Awards are chosen based on a rigorous peer-review process. The awards recognize the most successful turnarounds and impactful transactions in the past year.

The Global M&A Network’s Turnaround Atlas Awards honor excellence and outstanding achievements in the global restructuring, distressed investing, insolvency, special situations M&A transactions and turnaround communities.

FTI Consulting was recognized in the following categories:

• Global Turnaround Consulting Firm of the Year
• Consumer Products Restructuring of the Year:
  Highview Capital and Victory Park Capital Advisors acquire Katy Industries
• Energy Restructuring of the Year (>$500M):
  Vanguard Natural Resources Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization
• Energy Restructuring of the Year ($250-500M):
  Forbes Energy Services Pre-Packaged Plan of Reorganization
• Energy Restructuring of the Year (<$250M):
  Northstar Offshore Ventures, subsidiary of Orinoco Natural Resources acquires oil and gas assets from Northstar Offshore Group
• Financial Services Restructuring of the Year:
  J.G. Wentworth Pre-Packaged Chapter 11 Restructuring
• Shipping & Services Restructuring of the Year:
  Ultrapetrol (Bahamas) Pre-Packaged Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization
• Special Situation M&A Deal of the Year (>$500M):
  Fairfax Financial and Sagard Capital Partners acquire assets of Performance Sports Group under Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act and Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code
• Special Situation M&A Deal of the Year ($50-200M):
  Ignite Restaurant Group (Joe’s Crab Shack) Chapter 11 restructuring and acquisition by affiliates of Landry’s Inc.
• Chapter 11 Restructuring of the Year ($1-10B):
  Peabody Energy restructuring
• Chapter 11 Restructuring of the Year ($250M-1B):
  Optima Specialty Steel restructuring
• Chapter 11 Restructuring of the Year ($100-250M):
  Vanguard Healthcare restructuring
• Cross-Border Special Situation M&A Deal of the Year (>$500M):
  Macquarie Capital together with Techint Engineering and Construction acquisition and financing of Norte III project from Abengoa
• Corporate Turnaround of the Year ($1-5B):
  CHC Group Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization
• Africa Turnaround of the Year
• Western Europe Turnaround of the Year
• Cross-Border Turnaround of the Year (>$5B):
  Abengoa judicial restructuring and recapitalization
• Cross-Border Turnaround of the Year ($100-500M):
  EMAS CHIYODA Subsea Chapter 11 reorganization and acquisition by Subsea 7
• Cross-Border Turnaround of the Year ($5-100M):
  Vitamin World Chapter 11 Section 363 sale to Feihe International
• Turnaround of the Year (>$5B):
  Caesars Entertainment Operating Company Chapter 11 reorganization
• Turnaround of the Year ($1-5B):
  Ocean Rig UDW Restructuring
• Turnaround of the Year ($500-750M):
  Erickson Incorporated Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization

As a firm, FTI Consulting has consistently led the Restructuring Adviser league table for 10 consecutive years since its inception in the third quarter of 2007.

The award recognizes the achievements of young M&A, finance and turnaround professionals who have reached a significant level of success and made a notable contribution to their industry and community.

Based in Chicago, Mr. Hugo has more than 15 years of experience in turnaround, restructuring and interim management across multiple industries, including transportation, construction, government contracting, banking, distribution, aggregates, manufacturing, home building, horticulture and metals.

Based in New York, Mr. Laber advisory experience includes a wide range of restructuring engagements with a primary focus on advising steering committees, ad hoc groups and official creditor committees of distressed companies. Mr. Laber’s engagements have included public and private companies in the energy; for-profit education; grocery; homebuilding; maintenance, repair and overhaul; manufacturing; media; oil field services; pulp and paper; retail and restaurant industries.

Based in New York, Ms. Park is primarily focused on providing financial advisory services to distressed companies and creditors both in- and out-of-court. Her clients include public and private companies in a variety of industries, including banking and financial services, automotive, manufacturing, airline and chemical, among others.

The Jefferson Awards is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious recognition program for volunteer and public service and is the official recognition program of the U.S. senate.

As a firm, FTI Consulting has consistently led the Restructuring Adviser league table for 10 consecutive years since its inception in the third quarter of 2007.

More than 250 participating companies submitted nominations, which were judged by an independent selection of industry experts.

• Consumer Discretionary Deal of the Year (Over $100MM)
  Reorganization of Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, Inc., et. al.
• Energy Deal of the Year (Over $100MM to $500MM)
  Chapter 11 Reorganization of EMAS CHIYODA Subsea Limited Group
• Energy Deal of the Year (Over $1B)
  Recapitalization of Tervita
• Distressed M&A Deal of the Year (Over $50MM to $100MM)
  Chapter 11 Sale of Katy Industries
• Distressed M&A Deal of the Year (Over $1B)
  Restructuring of Lightstream Resources Ltd.
• Sec. 363 Sale of the Year (Over $1B)
  Restructuring of Lightstream Resources Ltd.
• Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year ($10MM to $25MM)
  Chapter 11 Reorganization of Bachrach
• Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year (Over $100MM to $250MM)
  Chapter 11 Reorganization of EMAS CHIYODA Subsea Limited Group
• Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year ($250MM to $500MM)
  Restructuring of rue21, Inc.
• Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year (Over $1B to $5B)
  Restructuring of Samson Resources
• Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year (Over $5B)
  Reorganization of Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, Inc., et. al.
• Out-of-Court Restructuring of the Year (Over $1B)
  Restructuring of Sequa Corporation
• Restructuring Deal of the Year (Over $1B to $5B)
  Reorganization of CHC Group Limited
• Restructuring Deal of the Year (Over $10B)
  Restructuring of Peabody Energy Corporation and its affiliates
• Cross-Border Restructuring Deal of the Year (Under $1B)
  Restructuring of Ultrapetrol (Bahamas) Ltd.

The M&A Advisor Turnaround Awards exclusively honors the leading distressed M&A transactions, restructuring, refinancing, products and services, firms and dealmakers in the United States and international markets. The nominations represented over 250 participating companies and were judged by an independent selection of industry experts.

With over 20 years of experience, Mr. Tully has successfully provided clients with strategic planning, financial and operational restructuring advisory, merger and acquisition advisory and business advisory and analysis in both distressed and healthy company situations. Some of Mr. Tully’s engagements have included General Motors, Lehman Brothers, MF Global Holdings, Revlon and United Steel Products.

Honorees are selected by Turnarounds and Workouts’ editorial staff based upon individuals’ recent representations, and by nominations received from leading restructuring professionals nationwide.

The selection process for Fellows of the College originates with the consideration of proposed candidates by a Circuit Admissions Council (“Council”) for each federal judicial circuit.

Carlyn Taylor is the Global Co-Leader of the FTI Consulting Corporate Finance & Restructuring segment, the firm’s Industry Initiative Leader and Chairperson of FTI Capital Advisors, FTI Consulting’s investment banking subsidiary, and is based in Denver. Ms. Taylor is a widely recognized expert in financial and business consulting in the telecom, media and technology (“TMT”) industries. She has more than 25 years of experience leading hundreds of engagements involving strategy, business transformation, restructuring and transaction related services. Ms. Taylor is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

As a firm, FTI Consulting has consistently led the Restructuring Adviser league table for 10 consecutive years since its inception in the third quarter of 2007.

As a firm, FTI Consulting has consistently led the Restructuring Adviser league table for 10 consecutive years since its inception in the third quarter of 2007.

Ms. Meerovich, based in New York, is a member of the Turnaround & Restructuring Services practice within the Corporate Finance & Restructuring segment. Her experience includes providing financial and strategic solutions to companies, creditors and investors.

Mr. Bui, based in Houston, focuses on corporate restructurings and strategic advisory. He primarily advises clients in the energy and industrial space, including energy exploration and production, oilfield services and engineering and construction.

The ACQ Global Awards recognize the achievements of those who are responding most successfully to the demands in the post-recession business environment and celebrate achievement, innovation and brilliance.

These experts were deemed to be leading in their respective fields by both peers and clients:

• John Batchelor – Accountants
• David Griffin – Accountants
• Nick Gronow – Accountants
• Andrew Morrison – Accountants
• Ian Morton – Accountants

FTI Consulting and its Compass Lexecon subsidiary again had the most experts named in the guide, with 129 professionals recognized overall, an increase over the 98 listed in the 2016 edition.

Based in London, Ms. Steedman has 25 years of transfer pricing experience with expertise in setting global strategy and implementing pragmatic transfer pricing solutions for multinationals. Ms. Steedman has a wealth of experience in defending transfer pricing policies, with a strong focus on risk management and fit for purpose documentation. She has been successful in defending transfer pricing policies in a large number of jurisdictions including the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, France, Germany, Poland and Russia.

The award recognizes the achievements of young M&A, finance and turnaround professionals who have reached a significant level of success and made a notable contribution to their industry and community.

Based in New York, Ms. Meerovich provides financial and strategic solutions to companies, their creditors and investors. She has worked with both public and private companies across many industries, including financial services, real estate, non-for-profit, insurance, healthcare, education, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, print, entertainment and retail.

Based in Houston, Mr. Bui has more than 12 years of corporate recovery, corporate finance and financial advisory experience. He has advised clients in a diverse range of industries, including energy exploration and production (“E&P”), oilfield services, refining, engineering and construction and shipping.

Mr. Beets has worded on a variety of consulting engagements, primarily in the oil and gas industry. He has represented creditors holding over $5.8 billion of debt.

Mr. Grigg has more than five years of turnaround and restructuring experience in a variety of sectors, including manufacturing, property, retail and leisure.

As a firm, FTI Consulting has consistently led the Crisis Management Firm league table for nine consecutive years since its inception in the third quarter of 2007.

As a firm, FTI Consulting has consistently led the Crisis Management Firm league table for nine consecutive years since its inception in the third quarter of 2007.

Based in Chicago, Mr. Buenzow is a Senior Managing Director, Midwest Leader and Company Advisory Leader in the Corporate Finance & Restructuring segment. With extensive international and public company experience accumulated over the last 20 years, Mr. Buenzow is a seasoned financial advisor to corporations, creditors, equity owners and directors of underperforming companies. He specializes in operational turnarounds, interim management and business reorganization.

Under The Deal’s newly released Top Canadian Bankruptcy Monitor statistics, FTI Consulting was ranked #1 by liabilities for all of 2016, which includes all petitions filed under Companies Creditors Arrangement Act (“CCAA”) and Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (“BIA”), with $25+ million in liabilities.

More than 300 participating companies submitted nominations, which were judged by an independent selection of industry experts.

FTI Consulting was recognized in the following categories:

• Restructuring Deal of the Year ($5 billion - $10 billion)
  Restructuring of Arch Coal
• Restructuring Deal of the Year ($1 billion - $5 billion)
  Chapter 11 Reorganization of Quicksilver Resources, Inc.
• Restructuring Deal of the Year ($250 million - $500 million)
  Restructuring of Aeropostale
• Restructuring Deal of the Year ($100 million - $250 million)
  Restructuring of Pacific Sunwear
• Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year ($1 billion - $5 billion)
  Chapter 11 Reorganization of RCS Capital Corporation and its subsidiaries
• Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year ($500 million - $1 billion)
  Restructuring of Quiksilver
• Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year ($250 million - $500 million)
  Restructuring of Horsehead Holding Corp.
• Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year ($100 million - $250 million)
  Chapter 11 Reorganization of Pacific Sunwear
• Cross-Border Restructuring Deal of the Year ($1 billion)
  Restructuring of Pacific
• Distressed M&A Deal of the Year ($500 million to $1 billion)
  Restructuring of Quiksilver
• Distressed M&A Deal of the Year ($100 million - $250 million)
  Caribbean Asset Holdings, Inc. (“Innovative”)
• Energy Deal of the Year ($1 billion)
  Restructuring of Midstates Petroleum Company, Inc.
• Energy Deal of the Year ($100 million - $500 million)
  Chapter 11 Reorganization of Venoco
• Energy Deal of the Year ($10 million - $100 million)
  Sale of Juniper GTL LLC
• Sec.363 Sale of the Year ($250 million - $500 million)
  Sale of Abengoa SA
• Sec.363 Sale of the Year ($100 million - $250 million)
  Sale of Aeropostale to Consortium

The M&A Advisor Turnaround Awards exclusively honors the leading distressed M&A transactions, restructuring, refinancing, products and services, firms and dealmakers in the United States and international markets. The nominations represented over 250 participating companies and were judged by an independent selection of industry experts.

FTI Consulting was recognized in the following categories:

• CORPORATE TURNAROUND of the YEAR
  Arch Coal Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization


• ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES RESTRUCTURING of the YEAR
  SFX Entertainment Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization


• CROSS BORDER TURNAROUND of the YEAR
  Pacific Exploration & Production Company judicial restructuring


• ENERGY RESTRUCTURING of the YEAR
  Midstates Petroleum Prearranged Chapter 11 Reorganization


• CHAPTER 11 RESTRUCTURING of the YEAR │ Qualified as value above $15 billion
  Texas Competitive Energy Holdings businesses including Luminant, TXU Energy and EFH Business Services spinoff from Energy Future Holdings


• TURNAROUND of the YEAR │ Qualified as value $1 billion to below $2 billion, in or out of court
  Energy and Exploration Partner Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization


• TURNAROUND of the YEAR │ Qualified as value $100 million to below $500 million, in or out of court
  Aeropostale Chapter 11 Reorganization and acquisition by consortium group including Authentic Brands Group, Simon Property Group, General Growth Properties, Gordon Brothers and Hilco Merchant Resources


• CORPORATE TURNAROUND of the YEAR │ Qualified for value $2.5 billion to $5 billion, in or out of court
  Energy XXI Chapter 11 of Plan Reorganization


• CORPORATE TURNAROUND of the YEAR │ Qualified for value $1 billion to $2.5 billion, in or out of court
  CJ Energy Services Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization


• CORPORATE TURNAROUND of the YEAR │ Qualified for value above $500 million to $1 billion USD, in or out of court
  UCI International Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization


• PRIVATE EQUITY TURNAROUND of the YEAR │ Qualified as acquisition value $200 to $500 million, in or out of court
  Quicksilver Resources U.S. oil and gas assets acquisition by BlueStone Natural Resources in partnership with Natural Gas Partners


• PRIVATE EQUITY TURNAROUND of the YEAR │ Qualified as acquisition value $50 to $200 million, in or out of court
  Pacific Sunwear restructuring, financing and takeover by Golden Gate Capital


• INSOLVENCY of the YEAR
  Sports Authority Chapter 7 including sale of assets to Tiger Capital, Hilco Global and Gordon Brothers


• CHAPTER 11 RESTRUCTURING of the YEAR │ Qualified as value $500 million to $1 billion
  Logan’s Roadhouse reorganization


• CHAPTER 11 RESTRUCTURING of the YEAR │ Qualified as value $250 million to $500 million
  Vertellus Specialties reorganization


• SPECIAL SITUATION M&A DEAL of the YEAR │ Qualified as value $250 to below $1 billion
  Abengoa Bioenergy Chapter 11 Reorganization sale of assets including four facilities to Green Plains, sale of Ravenna facility to KAAPA Ethanol, sale of Kansas cellulosic ethanol plant to Synata Bio


• FINANCIAL SERVICES RESTRUCTURING of the YEAR
  RCS Capital Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization


• MANUFACTURING & SERVICES RESTRUCTURING of the YEAR
  AstroTurf sale to APT Acquisition Construction Corporation


• MEDIA RESTRUCTURING of the YEAR
  Freedom Communications Chapter 11 sale to Digital First Media


• REAL ESTATE RESTRUCTURING of the YEAR
  Seaboard Realty reorganization and sale of eight assets from hospitality, multi-family and commercial/office properties

The Turnaround Atlas Awards exclusively honors excellence from the restructuring, bankruptcy, distressed investing and turnaround communities worldwide. The winners are selected independently based on identifiable performance criteria, including restructuring style, sustainability, number of creditors, sector challenges, timeliness and jurisdictional intricacies.

The list includes 20 leading accountants, insolvency practitioners and other non-legal professionals under the age of 40 who are working on important restructuring cases worldwide.

Mr. Taylor has more than 17 years of experience specializing in the fields of corporate turnaround, financial advisory and investigative accounting in Australia, Asia and the Cayman Islands. He was a member of the court-appointed FTI Consulting team that handled the US$100 million restructuring of Singapore’s Altus Shipping & Logistics. He also was a member of the team that acted as financial advisor in the restructuring of one of the world’s largest integrated aquaculture shrimp companies.

Hailed as a “superstar” for his work as the restructuring adviser to Arch Coal, the second largest coal mining company in the United States, in its Chapter 11 proceedings, Mr. Boyko was recognized for his strong sense of client service and his ability to solve complex financial problems. He also was a member of the FTI Consulting team that acted for billion-dollar beef processing company AFA Foods in its Chapter 11 case.

Mr. Basso joined FTI Consulting in 2015, and assists in the restructuring of companies in distressed situations. His notable engagements include working with the team acting as Court-appointed Monitor in the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act proceedings of a Canadian emergency response and restoration company that culminated with the going concern sale of the business. He also was part of the firm’s team administering approximately C$13 billion in claims for a group of companies that included two iron ore mines and a port facility that were granted protection under Companies Creditors Arrangement Act.

The Crisis Management Firm league tables cover all debtor, creditor and other assignments within active bankruptcy cases in the United States and Canada.

As a firm, FTI Consulting has consistently led the Crisis Management Firm league table for nine consecutive years since its inception in the third quarter of 2007.

Professionals named among the Top Crisis Management Professionals for The Deal’s Q3 2016 Bankruptcy League Tables include (with ranking):