Awards process

Founding partners

Signature & after party sponsors

Gold sponsors

Silver sponsors

Supporting partner

Selection criteria

The Canadian Dealmakers awards honour Canadian companies and individuals whose transactions have significantly benefited their industry by:

Promoting innovation and growth
Establishing M&A best practices
Enhancing customer service and/or product delivery
Creating value that extends beyond a return on investment

Some of our previous winners were characterized by:

Completion of a deal that was both strategic and logical and that provided shareholders with growth in resources, production, cash flow and earnings
A display of deal-making excellence across the full M&A spectrum, from the initial targeting through pursuit, structuring and financing to complete a transaction that would greatly enhance diversification and generate significant synergies
A company’s transformation from a dominant regional player into a national powerhouse, with resulting increased scale and geographic diversification

Nature of transaction
Not all award categories will be awarded every year and modification and expansion of award categories may occur. The determination of what categories will be awarded in any given year is at the discretion of the program partners and independent judging committee.

Award categories
Companies can apply for an award under the following categories:

New: Private Equity awards
Sponsored by the CVCA- Canada’s Venture Capital & Private Equity Association. The CVCA is currently seeking nominations in two categories:

An award for M&A transactions whose enterprise value exceeded/will exceed $100 million at close
This award will most likely emanate from investors or service providers from the Buyout side of the industry.

An award for M&A transactions whose enterprise value have been less than $100 million at close
This award will most likely emanate from the investors and service providers from the Venture Capital side of the industry.

To qualify for one the CVCA Sponsored Canadian Dealmakers Awards, the nominating member must submit a completed information sheet, prior to December 15, 2009.

It is anticipated that one of the above awards will honour an M&A transaction involving a mature business and the other, an M&A transaction involving an earlier stage company. Each award will honour the multiple stakeholders in M&A transactions, from the investors and capital providers to the various service providers who played a key role in consummating noteworthy M&A transactions.

Should you have any questions or require further information, please contact Richard Kinlough, Chair, CVCA Awards Committee, at 416-507-5106 or email at richard.kinlough@cit.com

Deal team of the year
This award is presented to the Canadian headquartered company or fund that has demonstrated overall excellence in deal making.

Foreign transaction (multiple winners may be awarded)
These awards are presented to Canadian headquartered companies or funds that have successfully completed an outbound merger or acquisition in the United States or globally.

Strategic deal of the year
This award is presented to the Canadian headquartered company or fund that has completed a highly strategic transaction that is likely to be transformational to the buyer.

M&A industry awards (multiple winners may be awarded)
These awards are presented to the Canadian headquartered company or fund that has completed the leading acquisition in their industry.

Mid market
This award is presented to a mid-market Canadian headquartered company or fund that has completed an acquisition of approximately $100 to $200 million in deal size.

Value creation
This award is presented to the Canadian headquartered company that has completed acquisitions during the period from January 1, 2006 to October 31, 2009 and demonstrated significant value creation.

Qualification attributes
Highlights of the attributes which uniquely qualify the company or person for the award are:

solid deal thesis
overall financial soundness of the transaction and significant impact on the success and/or transformation of the company
complexity of the deal
solid industry-wide reputation
excellence in overall deal execution including integration
planning and execution

To qualify as a Canadian Dealmaker:

The acquirer must be a Canadian headquartered corporation or fund
The deal must have been closed within the 2009 calendar year or have been announced prior to 2010 and have a high probability of closing in 2010 (with the exception of the Value Creation award).

Judging criteria
The process involves two assessment phases and judging by a panel of ten preeminent business leaders who evaluate each transaction with reference to the degree to which it meets or exceeds the award’s objectives. Judging criteria include:

Quantitative factors, such as value creation, synergies realized, financial soundness and improved industry ranking, and
Qualitative factors, such as strength of the deal thesis, complexity of the deal, pre-integration planning and the extent of post-merger integration activities

To nominate your deal for an award, please review the eligibility criteria, complete the nomination form and submit your nomination as soon as possible to dealmaker@deloitte.ca. The process involves two assessment phases and judging by a panel of preeminent business leaders.

Nominations should be completed and submitted as soon as possible by email to dealmaker@deloitte.ca but in no case later than December 1, 2009 as the first round of judging will take place in early December 2009. The gala awards ceremony will be held on March 3, 2010.