A&G's Emilio Amendola Receives 'Leadership Achievement Award' from Global M&A Network

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Feb 08, 2023, 08:34 ET

NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global M&A Network has named A&G Real Estate Partners Co-President Emilio Amendola the sole recipient of its prestigious annual "Leadership Achievement Award."

The accolade for C-suite executives recognizes "management skills, bold vision and contributions made to advance and grow their respective organizations and markets," according to Global M&A Network. Amendola received the award on January 19 during the 14th annual Americas M&A Atlas Awards celebrations in New York.

A 30-year veteran of the real estate advisory and restructuring profession, Amendola has used his negotiating skills and real estate expertise to benefit hundreds of companies in retail, office, healthcare, food and beverage, industrial, entertainment, higher education and other sectors.

All told, he and A&G Co-President Andy Graiser have saved approximately 750 clients more than $10 billion in occupancy costs since 2012, selling $12 billion in real estate and leases in connection with M&A transactions, restructurings and other projects.

Under Amendola's leadership, A&G has successfully completed 35,000 lease terminations and dispositions on behalf of its clients, as well as more than 250 projects involving sales, due diligence and valuations in commercial, industrial, educational and residential real estate.

In recent years, Amendola played a pivotal role in several M&A transactions amid a remarkable set of challenges—first the rise of ecommerce competitors and the "retail apocalypse"; then the Covid-19 lockdowns and related consumer behavior shifts, and now the macroeconomic challenges that have led to increasing speculation that a recession is on the horizon.

To name one example, Amendola led real estate activities for Ascena Retail Group in the runup to its $540 million sale to private equity giant Sycamore Partners. A Sycamore affiliate made headlines when it acquired Ann Taylor, LOFT, Lou & Grey and Lane Bryant with a commitment to retain a substantial portion of these brands' retail stores, associates and corporate operations.

"Less well known is the observation by the largest debt holders that the M&A deal would not have occurred at all without the $550 million in real estate savings secured by Emilio and A&G," Graiser noted.

During the first two years of Covid, Amendola helped dozens of companies avoid going out of business by giving them a real estate playbook for survival.

"All told, Emilio and his team saved approximately 90 companies $2 billion in occupancy costs, renegotiating 14,000 leases during that era," said Shanta Kumari, CEO and Global Group Editor, Global M&A Network. "This work preserved thousands of stores and jobs and benefited Americans from all walks of life."

During this time, Amendola and Graiser also brought in two new A&G teams that have expanded the firm's service offering to clients, one specialized in data analytics, the other in real estate sales.

Privately and women-owned, Global M&A Network is a media, information and events firm. For the past 14 years, the New York-based company has produced the M&A Atlas Awards, Turnaround Atlas Awards and Women Leaders & Dealmakers Atlas Awards.

"I'm honored to receive this recognition from Global M&A Network on behalf of our hardworking teams at A&G," Amendola said. "During the gala, I also greatly enjoyed meeting in-person once again with so many colleagues from the real estate, M&A and turnaround restructuring sectors. We've all got a very busy year ahead, so it was good to catch up."

Graiser was among the speakers at the event, in which Global M&A Network also recognized several other outstanding dealmakers, firms and transactions. This past September, he was named to Global M&A Network's 2022 list of "Top 100 Restructuring Professionals."

In addition, A&G this past July was named "Real Estate Restructuring Firm of the Year" at the organization's 14th annual Turnaround Atlas Awards. It was the third consecutive year in which A&G had received the honor.

Media Contacts: At Jaffe Communications, Elisa Krantz, (908) 789-0700, [email protected].

SOURCE A&G Real Estate Partners