The Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors announced that the organization is partnering with global business intelligence and company information firm Bureau van Dijk (BvD) for its 2013 Middle Market Thought Leader of the Year. The Alliance is preparing for the opening of nominations for its 2013 Middle Market Thought Leader of the Year Award during its annual summer conference in Chicago July 9-11.

The Alliance said Bureau van Dijk was a natural partner, as its best-in-class market intelligence, including its M&A database Zephyr and its extensive coverage of private companies, service a critical need in an uncertain middle-market M&A environment, where due diligence efforts and compliance costs are increasing.

“The Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors has proven to be the leading voice of hundreds of middle market professionals, so it is a wonderful opportunity for us to partner with them on this prestigious award,” said Lisa Wright, managing director for BvD’s M&A products worldwide.

Noticing a lack of recognition for leaders in the overlooked middle market sector, the Middle Market Thought Leader of the Year Award was instituted by the Alliance to honor individuals who have made significant, game-changing contributions to the middle-market M&A profession through the publication of works that promote research and higher standards of excellence. The Award recognizes those in the M&A community that create and advocate ideas that add value to the industry, thereby adding value to the Alliance’s education and credentialing programs such as the Certified Merger & Acquisitions’ Advisor (CM&AA) credential.

“We are honored to be partnering with Bureau van Dijk, a provider of critical data and insights to the M&A community,” stated Michael Nall, founder of the Alliance. “Their support and connections within the middle market M&A sector will be invaluable in our search for the most outstanding thought leaders in the middle market, a crucially important sector of the global economy.”

For more information on the Middle Market Thought Leader of the Year Award or to learn how to submit qualified nominations, click here.

The Alliance is the an association of 900 middle-market M&A professionals across 25 countries, comprised of capital partners, sellers and buyers, consultants, thought leaders, financial and legal experts and business executives.
Bureau van Dijk is a provider of business intelligence and company information.