Click here for Part I, Part II, Part IV, Part V & Part VI

Providing financial valuation services with unparalleled experience, focus, objectivity, and responsiveness

Dennis Murray is the president of Murray Devine, a financial valuation advisory firm. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Murray Devine possesses decades of experience assessing companies, ventures, and transactions in various industries. The firm has participated in and facilitated deals whose value has ranged from $10 million to over $10 billion. Private equity clients include Bain Capital, Kelso & Company, The Jordan Company, The Blackstone Group, and many others. In recognition of its work, Murray Devine has been named USA in Finance Monthly’s Valuation Firm of the Year (2015) and an M&A Advisor Awards Valuation Firm of the Year (2013). Most recently, the firm was a finalist in the 2016 ACG New York Champion's Awards.

EDWIN WARFIELD: Do you have a lot of competition? How would you characterize the field?

DENNIS MURRAY: We do have competition. We feel that we are unique within our competitive landscape, as we’re very much viewed as a boutique and our boutique offers a very senior level team of professionals on each engagement. The field, while being competitive, is condensed into maybe four or five firms, so having that advantage and our attention to client detail separates us from the others.

Q. What turning points have shaped your career?

A. I believe the turning points have been numerous. It was the ability to get involved in very large transactions and understanding the complexities of capital structures. To be able to offer that to some of the smaller transactions that we get involved in really enabled us to grow in several different spaces. But I think that what shapes my career is the whole feeling of creating a family—a team environment—and that we all grow together. That, to me, starts with your family, and for everybody to buy into that family team experience.

Q. What lessons did you learn growing up that have helped you in your career?

A. My father is a marine, so we grew up in a very structured environment. We had a very loving mother. And we were taught that to get ahead, hard work was key. I still instill that in my business today.

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ABOUT NEWMARK GRUBB KNIGHT FRANK

Newmark Grubb Knight Frank (NGKF) is one of the world's leading commercial real estate advisory firms. Together with London-based partner Knight Frank and independently-owned offices, NGKF's 14,100 professionals operate from more than 400 offices in established and emerging property markets on six continents.

With roots dating back to 1929, NGKF's strong foundation makes it one of the most trusted names in commercial real estate. NGKF's full-service platform comprises BGC's real estate services segment, offering commercial real estate tenants, landlords, investors and developers a wide range of services including leasing; capital markets services, including investment sales, debt placement, appraisal, and valuation services; commercial mortgage brokerage services; as well as corporate advisory services, consulting, project and development management, and property and corporate facilities management services. For further information, visit www.ngkf.com.

NGKF is a part of BGC Partners, Inc., a leading global brokerage company servicing the financial and real estate markets. BGC's common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol (NASDAQ: BGCP). BGC also has an outstanding bond issuance of Senior Notes due June 15, 2042, which trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol (NYSE: BGCA). BGC Partners is led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Howard W. Lutnick. For more information, please visit http://www.bgcpartners.com/.

Edwin Warfield, CEO of citybizlist, conducts the CEO Interviews.

If you're interested in reaching CEOs, please contact edwin.warfield@citybuzz.co

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