Top Business Development Companies (BDC)

• Business development companies are understood to operate very similarly to private equity. These companies assist the small or medium-sized firms they invest in to grow, including in their development stage. BDCs are more highly regulated than private equity firms.
• Legally recognized BDCs invest in U.S. operating companies valued at under $250 million.
• "Top" BDCs are defined as those among the largest in terms of market capitalization for public companies and $1 billion or more of asset under management for private companies. A list of top publicly traded BDCs by market capitalization may be found here.

• BDCA is a non-traded BDC focusing on middle market companies in a variety of industries.
• The company has two areas of focuses: structuring and downside protection.
• Targeted middle market companies are those with EBITDA between $10-$100 million.
• An example of a consulting firm that has worked with BDCA is Education Advisory Board, a management consulting firm for education industry.

• An NYSE-traded company, MCC lends directly to middle market companies to help them expand business, refinance and make acquisitions.
• The company considers itself an industry generalist with significant experience in wide range of industries, from healthcare to business services--of which management consulting is a subcategory.

• Apollo Investment Corporation is the top BDC by market capitalization. It invests primarily in private middle market companies.
• The company invests in a wide range of industries. Currently, business services industry (a part of which is management consulting) makes up 14.1% of its portfolio.

• Portman Ridge is a leading publicly traded BDC investing in performing, well-established middle market companies.
• Portman Ridge is an industry generalist with experience in a wide range of industries, from manufacturing to business services.
• The company identifies the following characteristics for the businesses it invests in: EBITDA size of $5 to $25 million, history of generating consistent cash flows and stable financial performance, identifiable and defensible market positions in industries with favorable dynamics, and management teams with demonstrated track records and aligned incentives.

• A publicly traded BDC, Barings invests primarily in liquid non-investment grade debts at the initial stage, after which it will transition into primarily senior secured private debts of companies sponsored by private equity investors.
•  Barings BDC has the following criteria: EBITDA of $10 million to $75 million, private equity sponsor-backed, history of growth and profitability, strong market position and competitive differentiation, and covenants and structural protections.
•  It covers many industries, from consumer product to business services and technology.

Top Public Relations (PR) Firms

• "Top" PR firms are defined by their net fees from O'Dwyer's top 2019 PR firm Ranking.

• Edelman is the largest public relations and marketing firm by revenue with more than 60 offices around the world.
• The firm was hired by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to create content pieces for ads run on the Financial Times online on BCG's 50th anniversary.

• Prosek Partners is one of the leading PR firms focusing on financial and professional services sectors.
• The firm is known to have worked for Ernst & Young (EY).

• Pierpont Communications is a PR firm with expertise in PR, marketing, crisis management and public affairs. It has clients with big names, such as NASA and BCG.

• Pierpont has worked for BCG to evaluate the visibility of the consulting firm's energy industry team.

• Highwire is a modern high tech communications agency with roots in journalism and Silicon Valley.
• Among its many clients is PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC).

• Lanson Intermarket is an independent PR and marketing firm with clients in financial services, technology and education.
• Oliver Wyman, a leading international management firm, is a client of Lanson Intermarket.

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