Warren Buffett's favorite banker just landed a $9 billion dollar deal

Frank Chaparro

Jan 10, 2017, 00:11 IST

Thomson Reuters

Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, prepares to speak at the Fortune's Most Powerful Women's Summit in Washington

Byron Trott is on a roll.

BDT Capital, the firm set up by the former Goldman Sachs banker, is advising candy and pet-food-maker Mars Inc. on its $9.1 billion deal to buy out animal hospital company VCA Inc.

BDT is working alongside Morgan Stanley on behalf of Mars, and is expected to share in $30 million to $35 million in fees, according to estimates from Freeman & Co.

Barclays is advising VCA, and is expected to receive $35 million to $40 million in fees.

For Mars, the deal follows the company's complete acquisition of Wrigley, the chewing-gum company. In October, Mars took full control of Wrigley after it bought out Warren Buffett's stake in the company.

Buffett originally teamed up with Mars to buy Wrigley for $23 billion in 2008. It was Bryon Trott who brought Buffett in to the deal, with the billionaire investor putting $6.5 billion of his own money for the joint-venture.

The Mars-VCA deal is the latest in a long line of transactions for Trott, who is known on Wall Street as Buffett's favorite banker. In 2004 Buffett mentioned him by name in a letter to Berkshire Hathaway investors.

"He understands Berkshire far better than any investment bank with whom we have talked and - it hurts me to say this - earns his fee," said Buffett.

Trott told Fortune magazine back in 2014 that his company only works with "billionaires and businesses." For instance, in May 2016 Trott's BDT advised JAB Beech, an Austrian company, on its acquisition of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts for $1.29 billion, according to data from Thomas Reuters.

BDT also advised Carlson Hotels on its sale to China's HNA Tourism Group, and is advising Guardian Industries on its deal with Koch Industries. The firm has also advised Cox Automotive on its $4.4 billion deal for DealerTrack Technologies, and Exor on its $6.7 billion deal for PartnerRe.