Piper Sandler to Acquire DBO Partners Growing Technology Investment Banking

Acquisition adds significant scale to Piper Sandler technology investment banking and positions team for future growth

Piper Sandler Companies (NYSE: PIPR), a leading investment bank, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire DBO Partners, an independent technology investment banking firm in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Founded in 2012, DBO Partners provides trusted, client-focused M&A and capital raising solutions to leading public and private companies, private equity, venture capital and alternative investment firms. The team has led many of the largest and most complex transactions for its clients in key technology verticals, including software, security, engineering, semiconductors & infrastructure and emerging technology. In addition, DBO Partners’ dedicated private equity general partner advisory services will add a new and growing capability to the Piper Sandler investment banking platform. Notable transactions include AMD’s $35 billion acquisition of Xilinx, Dell Technologies $4 billion sale of Boomi and Thoma Bravo’s sale of a majority stake in Centrify to TPG.

“The DBO team has built an exceptional practice advising leading global companies on their most important transactions. The addition of DBO significantly increases our presence and capabilities in the technology sector and is an important step towards building a leading technology investment banking practice,” said Michael Dillahunt, global co-head of investment banking and capital markets at Piper Sandler.

DBO is co-led by three founding partners each with over 35 years of industry experience: Gordon Dean, Mark Bradley and Nick Osborne. Dean joined Morgan Stanley in 1986 where he rose to become a managing director, co-head of the western region and vice chairman of investment banking. Bradley started his career with Morgan Stanley in 1985 where he spent 25 years, including as the global head of the financial sponsors group from 2000–2012 and a member of the Investment Banking Management Committee. Osborne also joined DBO from Morgan Stanley where he was the head of global technology mergers & acquisitions. They are joined by Brian White, who has built a leading security investment banking business at DBO.

“We chose Piper Sandler because we share a client-first culture and they have a proven track record of adding successful, industry-focused, advisory businesses and enabling them with more capabilities and resources to provide enhanced solutions for clients and opportunities for their teams,” commented Nick Osborne, co-founder of DBO. “Importantly, the partnership with Piper Sandler is highly complementary to our business, with Piper Sandler’s existing team of talented technology banking professionals. Together we will continue to offer exceptional service and outcomes to our clients with more products, including debt and equity capital markets, more vertical expertise and more resources.”

The team including the three co-founders will be integrated into the Piper Sandler technology investment banking group. Nick Osborne will be named co-head of technology investment banking alongside current technology group head Steve Schmidt. Together, they will lead a group of over 50 investment banking professionals. Gordon Dean will be named vice chairman, investment banking, Mark Bradley will be named chairman, financial sponsor coverage and Brian White will be named head of security and defense technology. Piper Sandler’s expanded technology team will serve as an important pillar of growth for the firm’s investment banking business.

“We are thrilled to add DBO’s tenured team to our platform on the heels of what was a record-breaking year for our technology investment banking group in 2021. We look forward to combining our expertise to build a market-leading franchise,” said Steve Schmidt, head of technology investment banking at Piper Sandler.

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022 and is subject to customary closing conditions

Piper Sandler was advised by Sullivan and Cromwell LLP. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz served as legal advisor and KBW served as financial advisor to DBO Partners in connection with the transaction.

About DBO Partners

DBO Partners is an independent technology investment banking firm headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, whose partners advise global leaders on their most important strategic and financial transactions. The team of veteran advisors have led many of the largest and most complex transactions for leading global companies and private equity firms in multiple key verticals across the technology landscape, including software, security, engineering, semiconductors & infrastructure and emerging technology. The firm offers expertise in mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, restructurings, debt and equity capital raising, shareholder relations and financing, and general partner advisory services. Learn more at dbopartners.com.

About Piper Sandler

Piper Sandler is a leading investment bank driven to help clients Realize the Power of Partnership®. Through a distinct combination of candid counsel, focused expertise and empowered employees, we deliver insight and impact to each and every relationship. Our proven advisory teams combine deep product and sector expertise with ready access to global capital. Founded in 1895, the firm is headquartered in Minneapolis with offices across the United States and in London, Aberdeen and Hong Kong. Learn more at PiperSandler.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical or current facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements cover, among other things, the future prospects and growth of the Company. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including the following: (1) the transaction described in this announcement is subject to customary closing conditions and may not close on the expected timing or at all; (2) the costs or difficulties relating to the combination of the businesses may be greater than expected and may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition and our ability to realize anticipated synergies from the transaction; (3) the expected benefits of the transaction may take longer than anticipated to achieve and may not be achieved in their entirety or at all, and will in part depend on the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with its clients; (4) developments in market and economic conditions have in the past adversely affected, and may in the future adversely affect, the business and profitability of the Company generally and its investment banking business specifically; and (5) other factors identified under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and updated in our subsequent reports filed with the SEC. These reports are available at www.pipersandler.com or www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events.

Piper Sandler Companies (NYSE: PIPR) is a leading investment bank driven to help clients Realize the Power of Partnership®. Securities brokerage and investment banking services are offered in the U.S. through Piper Sandler & Co., member SIPC and NYSE; in Europe through Piper Sandler Ltd., authorized and regulated by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority; and in Hong Kong through Piper Sandler Hong Kong Limited, authorized and regulated by the Securities and Futures Commission. Alternative asset management and fixed income advisory services are offered through separately registered advisory affiliates.

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