Evercore is comfortably the leader among the independent advisory firms, but its performance in the pandemic year also showed that it is a real competitor to the bulge bracket banks – and without the balance sheet that they have to wield. This year it wins Euromoney’s award for North America’s best bank for advisory.

The 20-year-old investment bank has jumped up the advisory league tables thanks to high-profile hires from top firms. It now regularly takes lead roles in the biggest and most complex M&A transactions. Rising revenues are funding international expansion. Its aim for the future is to become a top-five global M&A adviser. But, in many ways, Evercore is a throwback to Wall Street’s past.

Founded just over 20 years ago as an investment banking boutique, Evercore has now stepped firmly into the big league.

Boutique moves beyond advisory.