Full Name
Chris Smyth
Job Title
Americas PE Leader
Company
Ernst & Young
Speaker Bio
Profile
Chris is responsible for leading EY Americas Private Equity (PE) businesses, supporting PE funds and their portfolio companies in deploying capital, developing and executing strategy choices to deliver stakeholder value.
Chris has more than 20 years of experience with the strategy and transactions practice (S&T). Most recently, he led a team of more than 1,100 EY professionals in 42 offices who provide S&T services to market-leading companies and private equity funds in the Central United States.
Prior to joining the S&T practice, Chris worked in EY’s Assurance practice for over five years providing accounting, auditing and business advisory services to both public and private companies.
He has worked in various cities including Chicago (1999-2001), London (2001-2003) and San Francisco (2003-2008) before returning to Chicago (2008 to present).
Experience
Chris helps clients achieve transaction and capital agenda goals by collaborating across EY’s businesses and sectors to bring the full depth and breadth of our global firm. Chris focuses on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, business transformation and value creation.
Chris has advised buyers and sellers on over 300 transactions with valuations in excess of $8b and specializing in financial due diligence, consolidations/roll-ups, carve-out transactions, accounting for transactions and analyzing purchase price adjustment mechanisms.
Chris has extensive experience across retail, consumer products, distribution, manufacturing, technology and business service, among others.
Midwest clients have included Caterpillar, Dow, HAVI, Kellogg Company, Madison Dearborn Partners, Pritzker Private Capital, Procter & Gamble, Walgreens, Vistria and Zebra Technologies.
While based in San Francisco, Chris led transactions for both corporate and private equity clients. Clients included Cisco Systems, Genentech, Gryphon Investors, Hellman & Friedman, Seagate Technology, The Carlyle Group and Vista Equity Partners.
Chris spent more than two years working in EY’s London office assisting US financial and corporate investors with European investments in various countries, including the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg, Austria, Denmark and Poland. Clients included: Hellman & Friedman, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice LLC, Providence Equity Partners and Advent International.
Education and memberships
Chris received a BS degree in Accounting from Purdue University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the California and Illinois Society of CPAs.
Chris serves on the board of 1871 a non-for-profit based in Chicago serving as an entrepreneurship and innovation center for local start-up and early-stage businesses.
Contact: christopher.smyth@ey.com
Chris is responsible for leading EY Americas Private Equity (PE) businesses, supporting PE funds and their portfolio companies in deploying capital, developing and executing strategy choices to deliver stakeholder value.
Chris has more than 20 years of experience with the strategy and transactions practice (S&T). Most recently, he led a team of more than 1,100 EY professionals in 42 offices who provide S&T services to market-leading companies and private equity funds in the Central United States.
Prior to joining the S&T practice, Chris worked in EY’s Assurance practice for over five years providing accounting, auditing and business advisory services to both public and private companies.
He has worked in various cities including Chicago (1999-2001), London (2001-2003) and San Francisco (2003-2008) before returning to Chicago (2008 to present).
Experience
Chris helps clients achieve transaction and capital agenda goals by collaborating across EY’s businesses and sectors to bring the full depth and breadth of our global firm. Chris focuses on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, business transformation and value creation.
Chris has advised buyers and sellers on over 300 transactions with valuations in excess of $8b and specializing in financial due diligence, consolidations/roll-ups, carve-out transactions, accounting for transactions and analyzing purchase price adjustment mechanisms.
Chris has extensive experience across retail, consumer products, distribution, manufacturing, technology and business service, among others.
Midwest clients have included Caterpillar, Dow, HAVI, Kellogg Company, Madison Dearborn Partners, Pritzker Private Capital, Procter & Gamble, Walgreens, Vistria and Zebra Technologies.
While based in San Francisco, Chris led transactions for both corporate and private equity clients. Clients included Cisco Systems, Genentech, Gryphon Investors, Hellman & Friedman, Seagate Technology, The Carlyle Group and Vista Equity Partners.
Chris spent more than two years working in EY’s London office assisting US financial and corporate investors with European investments in various countries, including the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg, Austria, Denmark and Poland. Clients included: Hellman & Friedman, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice LLC, Providence Equity Partners and Advent International.
Education and memberships
Chris received a BS degree in Accounting from Purdue University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the California and Illinois Society of CPAs.
Chris serves on the board of 1871 a non-for-profit based in Chicago serving as an entrepreneurship and innovation center for local start-up and early-stage businesses.
Contact: christopher.smyth@ey.com
Speaking At
