Chris Cerimele

Managing Partner

Chris Cerimele is the Managing Partner of Balmoral Advisors, which he founded in 2014.  He is an experienced investment banker with more than 30 years in investment banking, finance and public accounting.  While an increasing amount of his time is spent leading the day-to-day management and growth of the Firm, Chris continues to work with selected clients primarily in the Building Products, Chemicals and Materials, and Industrials industries.  His clients have ranged from emerging growth to large, publicly traded enterprises.

Over the course of his career, Chris has advised on more than $20 billion of primarily mid-sized transactions.  His transaction experience includes M&A advisory, corporate divestitures and carve-outs, take-over defense advisory, fairness opinion mandates, capital raising, and financial restructuring transactions on both the debtor and creditor sides.  He has also provided expert testimony and served as an advisor in bankruptcy sales and processes.

Prior to starting Balmoral Advisors, Chris’ leadership positions at other investment banks included Head of Chemicals for Houlihan Lokey, Founder and Head of Chemicals for Lincoln International, and Managing Director focused on Chemicals at Grace Matthews. Earlier in his career, Chris worked for Credit Suisse.  Chris began his career as a public accountant with KPMG. In 2010, he received a 40 Under 40 Recognition Award from The M&A Advisor.

Chris earned a BS in Accounting from the University of Southern California Leventhal School of Accounting and an MBA with concentrations in Finance and Organizational Behavior from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). Chris is a FINRA-registered financial professional and general securities principal.

Chris is a respected community leader who has served on both for-profit and not-for-profit boards.  On the for-profit side, he previously served on the board of directors of East West Copolymer and Rubber.  On not-for-profit, Chris currently serves on the boards of directors of Midwest Young Artists Conservatory, a youth orchestral program in Highwood, IL, and Regina Dominican High School, in Wilmette, IL.  He is a past Board President of The Adoption Center of Illinois, past Board President of Chicago Dramatists, and past Board Member of the Young Executives Club of Chicago.