Houlihan Lokey Strengthens Specialty Finance Coverage Capabilities With Senior Hire

David Villa Joins as a Managing Director in New York

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI), the global investment bank, announced today that David Villa has joined the firm’s Financial Services Group as a Managing Director covering specialty finance companies and depositories. He is based in New York.

“We’re excited to add an officer with David’s breadth of experience to our market-leading specialty finance practice,” said Jeffrey M. Levine, Global Head of Houlihan Lokey’s Financial Services Group. “Over the course of his career, David has assisted clients of all stripes in numerous sellside and buyside M&A transactions and LBOs as well as private placements, debt financings, and equity offerings. This depth of expertise will be invaluable to our consumer and commercial finance clients as they navigate the opportunities and challenges in today’s markets, and we’re excited to introduce David and maintain the leading position we have achieved in the sector for more than 20 years.”

Mr. Villa joins from Credit Suisse’s Financial Institutions Group, where he was tasked with the origination and execution of M&A transactions and capital markets financings for specialty finance, depositories, and fintech clients. Prior experience also includes roles in RBC Capital Markets’ and Citigroup’s Financial Institutions groups.

“Houlihan Lokey’s leadership in specialty finance, coupled with its broad service offering, client-centric approach, and team-oriented ethos, represent both an incredibly exciting opportunity and an excellent cultural and professional fit for me. I’m excited to partner with Brent Ferrin, Jimmy Page, and my other colleagues around the world to grow the practice and continue to deliver superior results to our global client base,” said Mr. Villa.

Mr. Villa holds a B.A. in Economics from Harvard University.

With more than 50 bankers located in five offices around the world, Houlihan Lokey’s Financial Services Group has earned a reputation for providing superior service and achieving outstanding results in M&A advisory, capital raising, restructuring, and valuation across nearly every segment of the financial services sector. The Group has been the top advisor to specialty finance clients in North America for the past 10 years based on number of transactions, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

About Houlihan Lokey

Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) is a global investment bank with expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructuring, and valuation. The firm serves corporations, institutions, and governments worldwide with offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Independent advice and intellectual rigor are hallmarks of the firm’s commitment to client success across its advisory services. Houlihan Lokey is the No. 1 investment bank for all global M&A transactions, the No. 1 M&A advisor for the past seven consecutive years in the U.S., the No. 1 global restructuring advisor for the past eight consecutive years, and the No. 1 global M&A fairness opinion advisor over the past 20 years, all based on number of transactions and according to data provided by Refinitiv.