Introduction
Dear Dealmaker,
You're about to nominate candidate(s) for the M&A Award for Best Young Talent 2026.
Criteria according to the regulations:
The best young and talented professionals (aged up to and including 35) with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 8 years of experience in the M&A profession and a proven track record of deals on dealmaker.nl.
The ideal candidate makes a strong contribution to the team, reacts quickly and cooperates well with seniors, juniors and clients. The person is eager to learn, delivers superior performance and is regarded as a rising star in one’s field of expertise.
The total substantiation for the questionnaire must consist of a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 1500 words and can therefore differ per question. Only nominations received before 12 October 2026, 23:59 are valid.
The best young and talented professionals (aged up to and including 35) with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 8 years of experience in the M&A profession and a proven track record of deals on dealmaker.nl.
The ideal candidate makes a strong contribution to the team, reacts quickly and cooperates well with seniors, juniors and clients. The person is eager to learn, delivers superior performance and is regarded as a rising star in one’s field of expertise.
The total substantiation for the questionnaire must consist of a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 1500 words and can therefore differ per question. Only nominations received before 12 October 2026, 23:59 are valid.
We distinguish three categories:
- Best Young Private Equity Manager
- Best Young M&A Advisor
- Best Young M&A Lawyer
The editorial team will assess all submissions and present the qualifying nominations to the Panel of Judges.
You will be informed before 19 October if your candidate has been selected as a nominee. Invited nominees will present themselves to the Judges on 4 November, between 14:00 and 18:00, in a 3-minute pitch followed by a Q&A.
You will be informed before 19 October if your candidate has been selected as a nominee. Invited nominees will present themselves to the Judges on 4 November, between 14:00 and 18:00, in a 3-minute pitch followed by a Q&A.
Please inform your candidate of the nomination and ask them to reserve the afternoon of 4 November.
By completing this questionnaire, you agree that your written endorsement may be published on MAAwards.nl and Mena.nl.