BDO promotes Sebastian Stevens to Private Equity leader

BDO has promoted Sydney-based partner Sebastian Stevens to national head of its Private Equity practice.

Stevens has been with the mid-tier accounting and consulting firm for over fifteen years, currently serving as the partner in charge of Corporate Finance for BDO Sydney. He previously held leadership roles including Head of Advisory and Head of the TMT practice in Sydney, and Global Head of Transaction Advisory, a service line within BDO Corporate Finance. 

Commenting on his new role, Stevens said, “I’m proud to be leading BDO’s Private Equity team.” He has been tasked with expanding the firm’s full suite of services – audit, tax, corporate finance and advisory services – to industry players including private equity firms, portfolio companies, funds, venture capitalists, family offices and investors.

According to Grant Saxon, BDO Sydney Office Managing Partner, the firm already has deep relationships within the private equity market. “Our knowledge and experience allows us to understand what motivates private equity firms, funds and investors across almost every industry sector of the economy.”

Alongside leading a cross functional team of partners, much of Stevens’ individual focus will be on merger & acquisition related work. He has throughout his career overseen in excess of $200 billion in transactions, including a number of high profile private equity backed deals such as last year’s $689 million listing of Life360, a location sharing mobile application for families.

Stevens has extensive experience in all aspects of corporate finance including transaction advisory services, mergers & acquisitions and due diligence services on buy and sell side transactions, as well valuations and support with initial public offerings. 

At the start of the year, BDO appointed five new partners, lifting the size of its partner team in Australia to 200. Globally, BDO has over 80,000 staff generating revenues to the tune of $15 billion.