When Takeda made its initial $64bn takeover bid for Shire in May, it enlisted the aid of veteran dealmaker Francois Maisonrouge, who has been the go-to banker for pharma megamergers for more than two decades.

The 59-year-old French national led a team of senior advisers at Evercore, the independent advisory firm that provided counsel to Takeda on its challenging seven-month battle for Shire.