Baird, an employee-owned, international financial services firm, has appointed Tom Cowap has joined the firm’s global investment banking business as director in its global healthcare investment banking team, based in London.

Cowap has spent the past nine years building Alantra’s pharma services coverage effort, providing M&A services for financial sponsors and independently-owned, founder-backed businesses in the sector. He has advised on a number of notable recent M&A transactions, including: Five Arrow’s investment in Integrated Drug Discovery Services provider Sygnature Discovery, Synova Capital’s investment in preclinical CRO Charnwood Molecular and NorthEdge’s investment in Helios Medical Communications.

Cowap previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers in its financial due diligence team. He also served in the British Army (Reserve – 7th Battalion, The Rifles and 4th Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment). He is an ACA chartered accountant

Rob Andrews, co-head of Baird Global Healthcare Investment Banking, said: “Tom’s deep pharma services expertise and significant transaction experience with a broad group of healthcare companies and investors will continue to accelerate the seismic growth in our global healthcare business, which has more than tripled in size in the last three years. His relationships in the sector both enhance and complement Baird’s existing coverage.”

Bill Suddath, co-head of Baird Global Healthcare Investment Banking, added: “Baird has a long and successful track record in the pharma services sector. The addition of Tom will strengthen further our rapidly growing European healthcare coverage and cross-border pharma services capabilities.”

Cowap said: “I’m delighted to be joining Baird’s fast-growing healthcare team. The team’s credentials in pharma services and pharma tech, combined with the firm’s impressive US pedigree make it a great platform to support clients within the pharma and life science ecosystem globally. I’m particularly excited to put this to work for European clients to support their trans-Atlantic growth plans.”

Baird’s global healthcare platform includes more than 40 investment bankers, who have completed over 200 healthcare M&A and financing transactions since 2017; 10 equity research analysts covering nearly 140 healthcare stocks; and a dedicated equity sales and trading team.