Company History

"OUR PAST IS PRELUDE."

We have a strong history of identifying trends, initiating change, structuring transactions, building businesses and realizing value in the asset management and broader financial services industry. Our expertise extends across all phases of the capital lifecycle—from incubations and early-stage financing to growth equity and buyouts.

All our partners have worked in the investment industry, and have been associated with many of the world's largest financial institutions. They each have 20-plus years of experience, and possess a diverse array of operating, investing, risk management and deal making skills. Our senior partners have worked together for more than a decade.

On the investment side, we now hold positions in portfolio companies spanning all phases of the capital cycle. Our investments include asset managers and companies in a variety of related businesses—such as trade processing, financial planning and ETF fund sponsorship.

On the advisory side, our team has completed in excess of 210 strategic transactions and financings, establishing us as one of the leading banking teams to the asset management industry. We've worked with a host of leading financial players—retirement and insurance companies, banks and brokerage firms, mutual fund and institutional asset managers—and have helped them navigate many market cycles around the globe.

Founded in 2005, Grail is privately owned and has offices in Boston, New York and San Francisco.

Timeline of Investments & Selected Advisory Transactions*
JUL 11
Advised Pacific Life in its acquisition of JP Morgan’s Pension Advisory Group
JUN 11
Advised ING Clarion Partners in its management-led leveraged buyout from ING Group
DEC 10
Advised National Retirement Partners, the largest retirement accounts focused broker dealer, in its sale to LPL Financial
NOV 10
Advised S3 Partners in its formation of a joint venture with Pershing LLC
JUL 10
National Retirement Partners sale of certain assets to LPL Financial
JUL 10
Lowe Enterprises sale of an interest in Lowe Enterprises Investors to The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (AUM $1.5 B)
DEC 08
Perkins, Wolf, McDonnell and Company sale of a 50% interest to Janus Capital Group
(AUM $10 B)
MAY 08
Investment in Offit Capital Advisors LLC
MAY 08
Exit of investment in Chatham Partners, LLC
MAR 08
Investment in Merlin Securities
FEB 08
Sale of Legg Mason's Separately Managed Account Trading and Technology Platforms to Citi Global Wealth Management
FEB 08
Follow-on investment in United Capital Financial Partners, Inc.
DEC 07
Investment in Creighton Capital Management, LLC
OCT 07
Buchanan Street Partners sale of a majority interest to TCW (AUM $1.3 B)
SEP 07
Investment in Hillcrest Asset Management LLC
JUL 07
Recapitalization of Offit Hall Capital (AUM $20.3 B)
APR 07
State Street acquisition of Palmeri Fund Administrators (AUM $32 B)
MAR 07
Investment in United Capital Financial Partners, Inc.
MAR 07
Recapitalization/Minority investment in Integrated Trade Processing Corporation
MAR 07
LPL Financial Services acquisition of Pacific Life Co.'s Broker-Dealers (2,200 advisors)
DEC 06
Munder Capital Management teams with Crestview and Grail for MBO (AUM $25 B)
DEC 06
Legg Mason divested its Puerto Rico mutual fund family to Santander Asset Management
OCT 06
Sale of FrontPoint Partners (AUM $5.5 B) to Morgan Stanley
AUG 06
Minority investment in United Capital Financial Partners, Inc.
JUN 06
Bank of Ireland Group's strategic partnership with Paul Capital Partners
MAY 06
Sale of a 65% interest in RS Investments (AUM $12 B) to Guardian Insurance
FEB 06
Caterpillar Investment Management's sale of Preferred Group of Funds to T. Rowe Price (AUM $1.1B)
NOV 05
Recapitalization/Minority investment in Chatham Partners, LLC
JUN 05
GMO's strategic sub-advisory relationship with John Hancock (AUM $8 B)
JUN 05
Legg Mason's integration of its purchase of Citigroup Asset Management (AUM $437 B)
FEB 05
Grail Partners is founded
NOV 04
Sale of a minority interest in AQR Capital Management (AUM $12 B) to Affiliated Managers Group, Inc.
MAY 04
Recapitalization of Numeric Investors (AUM $8 B) by TA Associates
SEP 01
Deutsche Bank acquisition of Zurich Scudder Investments (AUM $278 B)
JUN 01
Royal Bank of Canada's sale of RT Capital Management (AUM $20 B) to UBS AG
JUN 01
Sale of Symphony Asset Management (AUM $4 B) to Nuveen Investments
AUG 00
Sale of Glenwood Capital Investments (AUM $2 B) to Man Group
APR 00
Chase Manhattan acquisition of Robert Fleming Holdings (AUM $99 B)
NOV 99
Allianz Group purchase of PIMCO Advisors LP (AUM $256 B)
SEP 99
Sale of Global Asset Management (AUM $14 B) to UBS AG
OCT 98
AXA Investment Managers acquisition of Barr Rosenberg Investment Management
JAN 98
AMVESCAP purchase of LGT Asset Management (AUM $55 B)
JUN 95
Sale of Miller, Anderson & Sherrerd (AUM $33 B) to Morgan Stanley
FEB 94
Formation of PIMCO Advisors LP master limited partnership (AUM $58 B)
MAR 93
Sale of The New England Companies (AUM $51 B) to Reich & Tang
* The advisory transactions represent a select list of Putnam Lovell NBF's and Grail Partners LLC's' transactions. Donald H. Putnam, Managing Partner of Grail Partners, was co-founder and CEO of Putnam Lovell NBF from 1987 through 2005.
Information taken from third-party sources is believed to be accurate, however no representation or warranty, expressed or otherwise, is made to, and no reliance should be placed on, the fairness, accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the information contained herein. This website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any services or security which may be referenced herein. This website does not constitute or contain an offer or solicitation of any kind and none should be inferred.
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