Capital One has entered into an agreement to acquire KippsDeSanto & Co. a leading investment banking firm focused on serving growth-oriented aerospace/defense, government services and technology companies. Based in Tysons Corner, Va. in the Washington, DC region, KippsDeSanto has a national practice specializing in merger and acquisition advisory services.

Following the acquisition, KippsDeSanto will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capital One, and continue to operate under the KippsDeSanto brand.

“Capital One and KippsDeSanto have a shared goal of providing clients with trusted advice and counsel enabled by deep industry expertise and a seamless client experience,” said Steve Tulip, Head of Capital Markets, Capital One Commercial Banking. “By bringing our teams together, we’ll be able to add scale and expertise to our growing M&A advisory group which will benefit clients in a wide variety of industries.”

“All of KippsDeSanto’s 30 professionals are excited to support Capital One’s thrust into middle market M&A,” said Bob Kipps, Co-Founder and Managing Director of KippsDeSanto.  “With Capital One, a top 10 U.S. Commercial Bank, we found an innovative, technology savvy financial institution with a similar culture and business values.  Moreover, we see enormous synergy and growth potential with their capital markets products, expanded private equity and corporate relationships and industry knowledge in aerospace and defense and other key verticals.”

“Joining Capital One was a natural next step in the growth plan for us at KippsDeSanto,” said Kevin DeSanto, Co-Founder and Managing Director, KippsDeSanto. “Beyond the M&A advice we currently offer, our clients will now have access to additional solutions offered by Capital One.”

The acquisition is expected to close late in the third quarter of 2019.