Baird Global Investment Banking Adds Robert Foster to Global Consumer Team

New Managing Director to Lead European Consumer Coverage from London

LONDON – Jan. 20, 2021 – Baird, an employee-owned, international financial services firm, announced today that Robert Foster has joined the firm’s Global Investment Banking business as a Managing Director on its Global Consumer Team.  An established veteran with 25 years of industry experience, Foster will lead Baird’s European Consumer Banking coverage, working in close partnership with Boris Partin and other senior investment bankers to further expand Baird’s Global Consumer franchise across the region. He will be based out of Baird’s London office.

Foster joins Baird from Jefferies where he was European Head of Consumer & Retail Investment Banking and led dozens of successful transactions in ecommerce, health & wellness, pet care, home, foodservice, consumer services, retail and luxury goods. He was also a member of Jefferies’ Global M&A Review Committee and Global Equity Review and Commitment Committee. Prior to Jefferies, he served as a senior investment banker and EMEA Head of Retail at Morgan Stanley after starting his investment banking career at UBS.  Foster received a bachelor’s degree with honors from Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada and a master’s degree from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

Baird’s Global Consumer Investment Banking team has experienced significant transaction momentum in Europe in recent months, advising on the following transactions since November:

• Germany-based Canyon Bicycles’ sale to Belgium-based GBL;
• U.K.-based Hovis’ sale to U.K. private equity investor Endless;
• Norwegian-based Herkules Capital’s sale of Switzerland-based Odlo and Bravura Sports to Monte Rosa; and
• Careismatic Brands’ acquisition by Swiss-based Partners Group;

“We are very pleased that Robert has decided to join Baird,” said Brian McDonagh, Co-Head of Baird Global Investment Banking and Head of Baird’s Global Consumer Investment Banking group. “He brings considerable knowledge of the industry and significant transaction experience to our platform and adding him to our team enhances our already valued and differentiated offering to our clients. We are excited for and confident of continued and ongoing growth and success of our Consumer franchise in the months and years to come.”

Foster added: “I have watched over the years as Baird’s Global Consumer Investment Banking business has moved from strength to strength, consistently delivering first class results for their clients internationally. I am delighted to join this talented, principled and highly successful group of professionals. I look forward to serving our clients together and driving our business in Europe to new heights.” 

Baird’s Global Consumer platform includes 45 investment bankers, who have completed 286 consumer M&A and financing transactions since 2010; eight Equity Research Analysts covering nearly 100 consumer stocks; and a dedicated Equity Sales & Trading team that makes a market in approximately 600 consumer stocks and has traded more than 650 million shares of those stocks in the last twelve months.

About Baird Global Investment Banking

Baird is a leading global investment bank focused on the middle market with nearly 350 banking professionals in the U.S., Europe and Asia. We provide corporations, entrepreneurs, private equity and venture capital firms with in-depth market knowledge and extensive experience in merger and acquisition, debt advisory and equity financing transactions. Since 2015, Baird has completed almost 580 advisory transactions, representing more than $167 billion in transaction value, and nearly 360 financings, raising more than $112 billion. Committed to being a great place to work, Baird ranked No. 13 on FORTUNE’s 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2020 – its 17th consecutive year on the list.

About Baird

Putting clients first since 1919, Baird is an employee-owned, international wealth management, asset management, investment banking/capital markets, and private equity firm with offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. Baird has approximately 4,600 associates serving the needs of individual, corporate, institutional and municipal clients and more than $305 billion in client assets as of December 31, 2019. Committed to being a great workplace, Baird ranked No. 13 on the 2020 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list. Baird is the marketing name of Baird Financial Group. Baird’s principal operating subsidiaries are Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated in the United States and Robert W. Baird Group Ltd. in Europe. Baird also has an operating subsidiary in Asia supporting Baird’s investment banking and private equity operations. For more information, please visit Baird’s website at www.rwbaird.com.