M&A Professional Awards 2025 by BATONZ: Celebrating Excellence in M&A Experts

M&A Professional Awards 2025 by BATONZ

On June 17, 2025, BATONZ, a leading platform for M&A and business succession support, hosted the esteemed "M&A Professional Awards 2025 by BATONZ." This grand event, recognized as one of the largest award ceremonies in Japan, brought together around 2,000 M&A professionals affiliated with BATONZ. The ceremony aimed to honor those who've made significant contributions in the field of mergers and acquisitions.

BATONZ is run by Batonz Co., Ltd., headquartered in Chuo, Tokyo, and led by CEO Yuichi Kamise. The platform operates with a guiding vision to create a society where anyone, anywhere can easily engage in M&A activities. By combining expert support with digital transformation (DX), BATONZ has emerged as the top M&A support platform in Japan, leading in cumulative deal counts, registered project numbers, and transaction volumes in the sector.

The award ceremony recognized outstanding M&A professionals across six categories:

Award Categories

1. Deal Volume (Corporate): Naoto Takagi from Infinity Life Co., Ltd.
2. Deal Volume (Individual): Eigo Yamamoto from Funai Soken Co., Ltd.
3. Deal Value (Corporate Only): Hideto Kawamura from ABN Advisors, Inc.
4. Digital Transformation (DX) Category: Kazuhiro Asano from Seed Advisory Co., Ltd.
5. Community Contribution Category: Yusuke Wakamura from Business Succession Communications.
6. Special Category: Gaku Iwashita from S&G Co., Ltd.

The event not only highlighted the expertise and successes of these professionals but also provided a platform for knowledge sharing. Recipients presented their insights and experiences in M&A, fostering a collaborative environment for attendees to learn and adapt best practices in the industry.

Jury Panel

A distinguished jury evaluated the nominees, consisting of notable figures in the business and academic realms, including:

- Hokuto Iwasaki, CEO of Agaloot Co., Ltd.
- Shinichi Saijo, CEO of XTech Co., Ltd.
- Masaru Saraya, Executive Officer and CLO of BATONZ.
- Tsutomu Tobita, Associate Professor at Fukuoka University.
- Ikuko Matsuda, Senior Associate at Focusgrade Law Office.

BATONZ Partner Program

In addition to the awards, BATONZ introduced its Partner Program, launched in March 2020. This initiative supports M&A professionals with essential tools and educational resources, including video content and mentorship from veteran practitioners with over 20 years of experience. The program aims to empower new entrants in the M&A field, facilitating their professional growth.

For more details on the Partner Program, visit BATONZ Partner Program.

About BATONZ

BATONZ positions itself as the premier platform for M&A and business succession in Japan. Currently leading the market for deal volume and transactions for M&A platforms from 2021 to 2023, BATONZ’s impressive growth showcases its commitment to innovation in the sector. With a vision rooted in accessibility, BATONZ strives to make M&A a straightforward process for businesses across Japan.