Catalin Diaconu

Catalin Diaconu is a Business Advisory Director at Creative Planning Business Services, where he advises middle-market companies, private equity sponsors and financial institutions on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring and financial strategy.

With extensive experience across sectors including manufacturing, alternative energy, financial services and healthcare, Catalin specializes in sell-side M&A, distressed transactions and strategic advisory engagements. His work spans capital raises, liquidity events, business transitions and corporate turnarounds. He also supports clients with financial modeling, cash flow forecasting, lender communications and interim management services.

Catalin’s restructuring experience includes Chapter 11 bankruptcies, receiverships, assignments for the benefit of creditors (ABCs) and out-of-court workouts. His combined background in transactional execution and financial operations makes him a trusted advisor to business owners, secured lenders and institutional investors.

Prior to joining Creative Planning, Catalin spent six years with a Chicago-based turnaround and restructuring advisory firm, where he led numerous high-impact client engagements across a range of industries. Earlier in his career, he worked in public accounting, providing audit, review, and due diligence services for middle-market companies and financial institutions. His experience also includes in-depth analysis of commercial and residential loan portfolios for mid- and large-sized banks.

Catalin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida and both a Master of Science degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration degree in finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago Liautaud Graduate School of Business. He is a licensed CPA and Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA). Catalin is an active member of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA), the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors (AIRA) and the Secured Finance Network (SFNet).

Catalin was honored with the 2023 TMA Chicago/Midwest Small Transaction of the Year Award¹ and the 2023 TMA Global Non-Profit Turnaround/Transaction of the Year Award² for his work as financial advisor to the Chapter 11 Trustee of Woodlawn Community Development Corporation.

¹Awarded each November based on transactions substantially completed during the 12-month period ending March 31. ²Awarded each October based on transactions substantially completed during the prior calendar year.