Nordic M&A attracts global competition

Insights|August 20, 2026

The Nordic M&A market is becoming larger, more international, and more competitive. Cross-border investments, public takeovers, private equity transactions, and IPOs are generating increasingly complex assignments for legal advisers across the region.

“We are seeing larger clients and larger, more complex transactions,” says Johan Sidklev, Group Managing Partner at Roschier, in a recent Svenska Dagbladet interview. 

Roschier operates as one firm across Finland and Sweden, advising Nordic and international clients on transactions involving multiple markets and legal systems. This integrated model is particularly relevant in M&A, where a transaction may involve an international investor, a Nordic target, financing from several jurisdictions, and regulatory considerations in both Finland and Sweden. 

“We consider ourselves one firm, with offices in Helsinki and Stockholm,” Johan says. 

M&A is currently one of the strongest areas of activity for the firm. “At Roschier, we are seeing the greatest activity in M&A, public takeovers, and IPOs. That is where the strongest part of our clients’ business lies,” he says. 

At the same time, international law firms are taking a more prominent role in the largest Nordic transactions. A recent Dagens Juridik column noted that global firms held the first four positions among advisers on announced Nordic M&A transactions ranked by value during the first half of 2026. Roschier was the highest-ranked Nordic firm, placing fifth. 

The rankings show how closely the Finnish and Swedish markets are connected to the global flow of capital. International firms often follow their clients into the region. Nordic firms, meanwhile, bring local market knowledge, established relationships, and the ability to manage transactions across Nordic jurisdictions. 

For us, the changing market creates both opportunity and competition. Its role is to combine an international transaction capability with an understanding of how business, regulation, and decision-making work locally. As Nordic deals grow in value and complexity, that combination is becoming increasingly important.