Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI), the global investment bank, has agreed to acquire MVP Capital (MVP), an independent advisory firm that provides a range of advisory services to clients in the technology, media, and telecom (TMT) sector. The transaction, signed June 23, adds to the firm’s coverage of the telecommunications sector and expands Houlihan Lokey’s footprint in the U.S. The transaction is expected to be completed next quarter following regulatory approval.
Clayton Funk, Managing Director at MVP said “Through our discussions with Houlihan’s leadership team, we quickly realized the firm’s values and client-focused, relationship-driven approach mirror what we’ve built at MVP Capital. The commitment to prioritizing relationships over transactions is shared and will continue to be at the core of everything we do. Through our partnership with Houlihan Lokey,” Funk said, “we will be able to provide access to a broader range of capital markets solutions and the ability to leverage the expertise and relationships of more than 60 TMT-focused finance professionals across the world.”
Founded in 1987, MVP serves clients across the TMT sector, providing mergers and acquisitions advisory, capital formation, and other advisory services. Since its founding, MVP has advised on more than 300 M&A and private placement transactions in the TMT sector. With an emphasis on telecom, internet infrastructure, and broadcast industries, MVP’s sectors of focus include fiber, towers, small cells, distributed antenna systems (DAS), wireless, data centers, cloud and managed services, and radio and television broadcasting.
As part of this transaction, MVP’s investment banking team will become part of Houlihan Lokey’s global TMT Group. Jason Hill, MVP Managing Partner, will join as a co-head alongside Rob Louv and Roy Kabla, who currently lead the firm’s team. In addition, MVP CEO Greg Widroe will assume a senior role in the TMT Group, focusing in part on strategic initiatives. The acquisition will add 25 financial professionals to Houlihan Lokey’s TMT Group, including MVP’s seven managing directors, bringing the global TMT team to more than 60 financial professionals.
“The transformation in the telecom and internet infrastructure industries, driven by the advent of 5G, cloud computing, and video streaming, will create meaningful and complex opportunities for our clients. These opportunities will require both deep sector expertise and a broad range of solutions,” said Hill. “Houlihan Lokey’s global platform, deep financial sponsor relationships, and outstanding private capital markets capabilities represent an extremely compelling opportunity for us to better serve our clients. We’re excited to join Rob, Roy, and the rest of the global TMT team to uphold the standard of excellent and outstanding service that Houlihan Lokey represents.”
“Without question, MVP’s extensive sector knowledge and execution expertise has driven its success as an exceptional advisory firm. However, it is clear to us that this success is also maintained and reinforced by many of the cultural characteristics we strive to embody at Houlihan Lokey, foremost among them our steadfast dedication to our clients,” said Scott Adelson, Houlihan Lokey’s Co-President and Co-Head of Corporate Finance. “In all respects, they are a perfect fit with our corporate culture, and we are confident that the MVP team will contribute meaningfully to the growth of the TMT Group and to our clients’ success, as well.”
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