A Differentiated Investment Banking Approach for the Evolving Food, Agriculture & Beverage Sector
Crescendo Strategic Advisors is an independent investment banking firm focused on the Food, Agriculture & Beverage sector.
With decades of M&A experience and deep sector expertise, we advise business owners and management teams through complex strategic and financing decisions. Our tailored, partner-led approach helps clients evaluate alternatives, understand market appetite, and execute liquidity events, capital solutions, and strategic transactions with clarity and confidence.
Industry Specialists
Bespoke Processes
Exceptional Outcomes
Driving growth by guiding Food, Agriculture & Beverage companies through complex strategic and financial decisions.
WHAT WE DO
We are passionate about this industry and bring deep expertise, hard-earned insights, and long-standing relationships built over the years. Our role is to help founders and business owners raise smart capital, execute transformative M&A, and accelerate growth through a bespoke, partner-led process.
Our insights
Explore the latest thought leadership about current market insights, recent transactions and investments, and industry leading research curated by us.
TEAM
Our team brings decades of experience from leading global investment banks, combined with a deep network across the Food, Agriculture & Beverage sector. We apply that expertise and connectivity to every engagement, delivering tailored solutions and long-term partnerships aligned with our clients’ goals.
Alejandro Cola
Managing Director and Founder
Alejandro Cola is a seasoned investment banker and strategic advisor with 20+ years of experience in Food, Agriculture & Beverage M&A, capital raising, and strategic advisory.
Before founding Crescendo, Alejandro worked at several leading investment banks, including Lazard, William Hood & Company, and KeyBanc Capital Markets, in their Food & Beverage M&A practices. During his tenure at those firms, he advised on cross-border M&A, carve-outs, and private placements.
He now brings that expertise to his role as Founder & Managing Director of Crescendo, where he supports companies across the sector with tailored solutions in capital raising, strategic positioning, and M&A preparation.
Alejandro is also a frequent speaker at leading industry and investor forums globally, including the Food Institute Events, Capital Roundtable, ACG New York, Gulfood Manufacturing, and Gulfood in Dubai.
He holds an Economics degree from La Universidad de la República in Uruguay and an MBA in Finance and Accounting from Vanderbilt
Harsh (‘Hersh’) Singh
Managing Director and Partner
Harsh has over 15 years of transaction advisory experience, having advised private companies on mergers, acquisitions, corporate carve-outs and divestitures, capital raising, and cross-border transactions.
He began his career in investment banking with Lazard Frères, where he focused on advising founder-led and family-owned businesses in the Food and Agriculture sector. In 2016, he joined Raymond James with their Consumer and Retail investment banking team and later he rejoined Lazard in 2018. Most recently, Harsh served as a Director with Lazard’s Consumer, Food and Agriculture team. Prior to investment banking, Harsh spent time working in the supply chain software sector with i2 Technologies and Demantra (Oracle Corp.)
Harsh holds an MBA degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, MS degree in Industrial Engineering from SUNY at Buffalo and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Shivaji University.
Let’s Discuss your path forward
The right financial moves create lasting impact. If you’re evaluating strategic options, including a sale, capital raise, investment, or expansion, let’s start a conversation. We help clients assess their options, understand market appetite, and pursue the path that best aligns with their personal, strategic, and financial objectives.
