Select Clients

All Brock client engagements are personally managed and performed by dedicated senior professionals with the
expertise and track record to provide the highest quality advice and execution in the industry.

Recent Brock engagements include:

Advisory Services

Merger Integration for Publicly-traded Gaming Company

Brock advised Scientific Games on its $1.5 billion acquisition and integration of WMS Industries, combining to deliver $100 million in synergies through operational efficiencies, gaming content innovation and leveraging interactive gaming and social media platforms.

Financial Advice Regarding Possible M&A Transactions

Brock is providing financial advice to a manufacturer of air purification systems in connection with possible M&A transactions.

Business Networking and Intelligence on the Most Influential Business People

Our client is an expansion stage, web-based professional networking and verified biographical data system used for business development, sales and the facilitation of business interactions by the leading global investment banks, wealth managers, executive search firms, consulting firms and other professional services firms and corporations. Brock was engaged to assist with the development of a business strategy to expand the market served by the company’s products. The strategy substantially expanded the existing product’s scope to include the facilitation of business interactions, the enhancement of viral growth, the development of an online community, and the broadening of the client base. We reviewed, analyzed and made recommendations to revise the company’s branding, marketing, sales, pricing and technology strategies, and we developed related detailed tactical plans.

Renewable Energy: A Major Pumped Storage Facility

We advise on the development of one of the largest alternative energy projects which will store energy produced by wind, solar, nuclear, and fossil fuel augmenting the transmission grid connecting the large power markets of Southern and Mid-California. We assist in the strategy and navigation of numerous regulatory hurdles. We advise on various organizational, structural and managerial issues including succession planning. Members of the firm invested in the project and we arranged working capital financing.

Board Consultant Roles at a Major Pension Fund

Our client is one of the largest pension funds in the world providing retirement services for over one million participants and managing over $200 billion in assets. We advised the client’s Board and Investment Committee on their use of independent investment consultants. Brock’s work focused on maximizing value and streamlining the client’s processes and procedures. After conducting numerous interviews with board members, senior management and investment staff, current and prior board consultants, and senior management of comparable public pension funds, we presented strategies to clarify and optimize the board consultant roles and responsibilities.

Leading International Packaged Goods Company

We are advising a leading public, international packaged goods company concerning possible acquisitions, alliances, brand licensing and related strategies for execution. Our assignment includes the review of leading consumer brands in targeted markets and analysis of opportunities for expansion.

Renewable Energy

We advised our client in their development and commercialization of advanced, patented turbine technology, resulting in low energy production costs and creating new alternative energy projects including expanding its European presence and opening new markets. We assisted in consummating a private financing and advised in connection with a public offering.

An All-Natural Sweetener with Zero Calories

We advised on various marketing and branding initiatives as well as on the creation of a global advisory board. We assisted in developing a strategic growth plan for this cross-border enterprise including financial projections and product positioning.

Power and Fuel from Sugar Cane

We advise an energy production and marketing company in developing an integrated energy bio-refinery to produce ethanol. We helped the company take advantage of significant state and federal tax credits. We advised in connection with financing requirements and provided working capital.

Acquisition and Roll-up of Distributorships

We advised a multi-state distribution company on acquisitions, integration and consolidation strategies as well as capital planning and related financing. In addition, we developed a strategic plan to expand margins and enhance enterprise value.

Investment Banking

Public Securities Offerings for Shipping Company

Brock Securities acted as co-manager of underwritten U.S. public offerings of NYSE listed common stock and preferred shares for a leading product, crude and LNG tanker operator headquartered in Greece.

Capital Raise to Purchase a Florida Hotel

Brock Real Estate has been engaged to raise some $40 million of senior and mezzanine debt toward the purchase and re-positioning of the hotel portion of a property in Miami, Florida.

Qatar High-Rise Residential Disposition

Brock Real Estate/ Brock Securities have been engaged to assist in the sale or other disposition of a luxury high-rise residential building in Qatar for approximately $125 million.

Pre-clinical Capital Raise for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Drug

Brock Securities assisted an Investigational New Drug discovery company to raise $7.5 million to fund Phase-I trials for a proprietary Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C drug.

Residential Real Estate Capital Raising

Brock assisted in all aspects of structuring a partnership which acquires, renovates and rents a portfolio of single-family homes in Westchester and Fairfield Counties. The partnership targets homes valued from $800,000-$1,300,000 to be rented primarily to relocating executives, eventually to be sold. Brock Securities was retained to raise debt financing and equity. The first close was completed in May 2012 with approximately $10 million in equity. The debt drawdown continues.

Capital Markets Advisory and Capital Raising

Brock Capital advised a 42-year old privately held shipping company on general strategy and on the acquisition of a fleet of handymax dry bulk vessels. Brock raised equity from one of the largest, most well-respected private equity firms by structuring a transaction, through which up to $250 million will be deployed for the acquisition of dry bulk vessels.

Korean/US Cross-Border Investments

We have signed a memorandum of understanding with the South Korean Province of Gyeongsanbuk-Do (Gyeonbuk) as part of the Korean Trade-Investment Promotion Agency’s (KOTRA) program to promote cross-border investments between Korean companies and investors and US companies and investors. As part of the understanding, Brock is to facilitate investment in Korean and foreign companies in Gyeonbuk and to advise Gyeongbuk concerning global investment trends as they relate to Gyeongbuk and Gyeongbuk’s initiatives for attracting foreign investment. The MOU also calls on Brock to participate in Gyeongbuk-sponsored investment funds, by means such as raising capital for the funds and administering and supervising the funds’ operations.

Fiduciary Services

Chrysler VEBA

Brock acted as independent fiduciary for a Chrysler retiree account established by the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust for a defined group of current and future Chrysler retirees and their families (the “Chrysler VEBA”), with assets valued at approximately $10 billion. The Chrysler VEBA was funded with employer securities consisting of a $4.587 billion note and 65% of the then outstanding membership interests in the auto manufacturer. As an independent fiduciary, Brock accepted sole management responsibility for the management, monetization and/or disposition of these securities, which were recently either redeemed or sold to Fiat SpA. Brock’s services terminated with respect to this engagement on account of the fact that all Chrysler securities were disposed of, and as such no longer requiring an independent fiduciary.

GM VEBA

Brock serves as independent fiduciary for a separate General Motors retiree account established by the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust (the “GM VEBA”) that was similarly funded with employer securities valued in excess $10 billion. In that connection, Brock accepted sole responsibility for the management, monetization and/or disposition of GM securities including common stock (currently representing approximately 9% of General Motors’ ownership), warrants and preferred stock that were held by the GM VEBA account.

AT&T

Brock serves as the independent fiduciary in connection with AT&T’s contribution of approximately $8.5 billion (liquidation value) in preferred securities specifically designed for this purpose. The preferred securities were designed by AT&T in conjunction with Brock as a method to provide a valuable asset to AT&T’s pension plan and ensuring that employees have an economic interest in AT&T’s wireless business, its fastest growing business line. Brock represented the pension plan in conjunction with AT&T’s discussions with the Department of Labor for a prohibited transaction exemption, and acts as a fiduciary and investment manager to maximize the value of these assets for the benefit of the plan’s beneficiaries.

Major Pension Fund

Brock has advised a major pension fund with assets of approximately $300 billion in a number of major engagements as a fiduciary. The Firm advised the pension fund on how to establish a private equity co-investment program. Focused on maximizing risk-adjusted returns, the analysis addressed three key topics: scope of the program (size, target transactions and lead private equity partners); organizational structure (managerial responsibilities, oversight and use of external advisors); and policies and procedures to enable successful operation of the program. We reviewed existing co-investments, surveyed and analyzed market best practices and interviewed top management of the country’s largest pension funds and CEOs of the leading private equity firms engaged in co-investment. Based on our research and consultation with the client, and drawing on our partners’ experience, we provided detailed recommendations on how to structure and operate the program.

Preferred Equity In-Kind Contribution

AT&T intends to make a $9.5 billion contribution to its pension plan in the form of a preferred equity participation in its wireless business. Brock Fiduciary Services is the Independent Fiduciary working with AT&T to determine the value and terms of this security, to assist in obtaining the requested U.S. Department of Labor exemption, and, ultimately, to act as investment manager of the security while it exists as part of the pension plan portfolio.

Prudent Person Opinion

The Brock team provided one of the largest public pension funds with a prudent person opinion regarding the fund’s investment in a power transmission line. The fund agreed to the purchase of the 65-mile submarine high-voltage, direct-current cable line.
The Brock team provided the fund with a PPO relating to the program’s proposed purchase of a portfolio of three natural gas power assets- two peaking facilities, and a combined cycle facility- totaling 530 MW of capacity.

Independent Fiduciary

Brock Fiduciary Services has been engaged by the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust (the Veba Trust) to manage its ownership of Chrysler shares and notes and, separately, its ownership of General Motors (GM) common stock, preferred stock and warrants. As independent fiduciary, Brock will act on behalf of the VEBA Trust in connection with the valuation, discrectionary management and disposition of the Chrysler and GM securities.

Co-Investments Strategy: Advising a Significant Pension Fund

We advised a public pension fund on how to establish a private equity co-investment program. Focused on maximizing risk-adjusted returns, the analysis addressed three key topics: scope of the program (size, target transactions and lead private equity partners); organizational structure (managerial responsibilities, oversight and use of external advisors); and policies and procedures to enable successful operation of the program. We reviewed existing co-investments, surveyed and analyzed market best practices, and interviewed top management of the country’s largest pension funds and CEOs of the leading private equity firms engaged in co-investment. Based on our research and consultations with the client, and drawing on our members’ experience, we provided detailed recommendations on how to structure and operate the program.

$500+ Million Investment in the Largest Publicly Traded Fund of Funds

We advised a major U.S. pension fund on a $500+ million investment which created the largest publicly traded fund of funds. This complex transaction involved the acquisition of a multi-billion dollar pool of selected private equity interests. We identified and advised in connection with the legal, financial, structural and valuation aspects of the transaction.

Due Diligence

We advise a major U.S. pension fund in matters of due diligence pertaining to a potential investment in a turnaround, restructuring and other special situations fund.