Holland & Knight's Martin Clarke Named Consumer Dealmaker of the Year by The Deal

STAMFORD, Conn. (October 8, 2020) – Holland & Knight Partner Martin "Marty" Clarke was named 2020 Consumer Dealmaker of the Year by The Deal magazine. Each year The Deal hosts its Deal Awards, which celebrate the exceptional advisors and service providers who power the deal economy.

Mr. Clarke is a Connecticut and New York corporate and private equity attorney who represents private equity funds as well as public and private companies in mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. He also counsels corporate clients and emerging companies in connection with a wide range of business transactions, including joint ventures, restructuring, and debt and equity financing. Mr. Clarke is co-leader of the firm's Northeast Corporate, M&A and Securities Practice Group and a member of the firm's Directors Committee.

Between 2018 and 2020, Mr. Clarke has advised on some of the most noteworthy M&A deals in the consumer products/food and beverage industries. These deals include Brynwood Partners' purchase of the Pillsbury US baking business from J.M. Smucker Co. (2018) and Buitoni pasta brand's North American business from Nestlé SA. (2020); Hometown Food Company's acquisition of the Arrowhead Mills and SunSpire brands from The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (2019); and the sale of Joseph's Frozen Foods to LaSalle Capital (2019).

Winners of the Deal Awards are selected through an intensive three-step judging process, beginning with hundreds of peer nominations. The newsroom then determines a shortlist of applicants based off of in-depth interviews with leading analysts in the field, uncovering the most significant deals and dealmakers of the year. Final awardees were determined via majority vote by the publication's top editors.