Key Highlights

  • Houlihan Lokey agreed to acquire Vicente & Partners, with the transaction signed on October 30, 2026.
  • Vicente & Partners focuses on advisory work in beauty, personal care and pet health across Europe and the United States.
  • Nine financial professionals will join Houlihan Lokey’s London office as part of the transaction.
  • Alejandro Vicente, a former global head of consumer goods Investment Banking at J.P. Morgan, will join as a Managing Director.

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI), the global investment bank, announced on November 11, 2026, that it has agreed to acquire Vicente & Partners, an independent advisory firm with expertise in beauty, personal care and pet health across Europe and the United States. The transaction was signed on October 30, 2026. The company said the deal further strengthens its existing coverage in those sectors, which are attracting steady interest from buyers and sellers of consumer brands.

The Acquisition adds a specialized team to the bank’s advisory platform. Financial terms were not included in the announcement, so the size of the transaction and its expected contribution to Revenue remain undisclosed.

What Vicente & Partners Brings

Vicente & Partners was founded in London in 2020 by Alejandro Vicente, who previously served as global head of consumer goods investment banking at J.P. Morgan. He has more than 30 years of experience in fast-moving consumer goods, including 17 years at J.P. Morgan and eight years in senior roles at large corporates. That background gives the firm access to executives and deal networks that are important in consumer M&A.

Vicente will join Houlihan Lokey as a Managing Director, alongside fellow Partners Lidiia Gaiduk and Michelle Garcia. In total, nine financial professionals will join the bank’s London office. Adding a team of that size gives the bank additional coverage capacity in a sector where specialist knowledge is valued by corporate clients.

Acquisitions of specialist advisory firms can strengthen a bank’s pipeline, since clients in niche sectors often prefer advisers who understand their markets in depth. The integration of the London team will show how quickly those relationships can be transferred into the wider bank.

Deal History and Sector Focus

The team has advised on a number of notable transactions since the firm launched. These include advising Touchland on its sale to Church & Dwight, Kering on its acquisition of the fragrance house Creed, and Coty on a $4.3 billion disposal of part of its business. The track record suggests the team has experience with large and complex consumer transactions.

Beauty, personal care and pet health have been active areas for mergers, acquisitions and Private Equity investment. Specialist advisers often win mandates because they understand Brand economics, distribution channels and the financing structures common in those sectors, which can be difficult for generalist teams to match.

The deal also reflects a broader trend in investment banking, where firms have sought to add senior sector specialists rather than rely only on general coverage teams. Such hires can change how a bank competes for mandates in consumer and healthcare-adjacent markets.

Strategic Rationale and Cultural Fit

Jay Novak, Global Co-Head of Corporate Finance at Houlihan Lokey, said clients increasingly require advisers with deep subsector knowledge, Capital Markets expertise and a global reach. He said the combined team would deliver that mix and that the firms share a focus on Partnership and client service.

Alejandro Vicente said the firm’s close, long-term client relationships and discreet approach fit well with the bank’s global reach and range of services. Acquisitions of boutique advisory firms carry integration risks, including retaining key people and maintaining client relationships, and the bank will need to show that the new team continues to win work after the deal.

Final Word

Houlihan Lokey has agreed to acquire Vicente & Partners, adding a London team focused on beauty, personal care and pet health. The deal brings a senior banker with a long consumer background and nine additional professionals to the bank. Its effect on revenue and profit was not disclosed, so future updates on the team’s deal flow and integration will show how much the acquisition contributes.