Valeon Partners Names Lawson Smith as Managing Director

Seasoned advisory executive to oversee market strategies for recently launched merchant bank

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Valeon Partners (“Valeon”), a premier merchant bank serving founders, family offices and private equity stakeholders in partnership with Leon Capital Group, today announced that Lawson Smith, former Managing Director at Houlihan Lokey, has joined Valeon as a Managing Director responsible for overseeing the firm’s market strategies.

Mr. Smith brings 25 years of experience in capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, and post-close office-of-the-CFO advisory work. While at Houlihan Lokey, he founded the firm’s Accounting and Financial Reporting practice group and subsequently served in an Advisory Markets Leadership role. Previously, Mr. Smith spent 15 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, including as a Managing Director in the firm’s Capital Markets and Accounting Advisory practice, advising financial sponsors and corporations on initial public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and restructurings.

“Lawson brings an exceptional combination of technical expertise, strategic insight, and a collaborative approach that resonates with both clients and colleagues,” said C. Travis Pittman, CEO of Valeon Partners. “Having worked closely with Lawson at Houlihan Lokey, his track record as a strategic partner paired with his proven ability to navigate complex situations and deliver differentiated results will be tremendous assets to our team as we continue to grow our platform, strengthen our advisory capabilities and serve our clients at the highest level.”

Mr. Smith added, “I am excited to help grow Valeon Partners at a dynamic moment when new multi-channel capital sources continue to emerge. Valeon is building a differentiated, tech-enabled and data-driven platform to serve a segment of the market that will see explosive value growth over the next decade, and is taking a unique approach focused on patient capital and the ability to invest alongside clients. I’m looking forward to working with the talented team we have assembled to meet the needs of founders, family offices and private equity stakeholders around the globe.”

Mr. Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Indiana University, is a Certified Public Accountant and FINRA Series 63 and 79 certified.

About Valeon Partners:
Valeon Partners is a premier merchant bank and advisory platform serving founders, family offices and private equity stakeholders. The firm provides integrated M&A advisory, capital formation, and value creation services backed by the resources and long-term investment horizon of Leon Capital Group. For more information, please visit www.valeonpartners.com.

About Leon Capital Group:
Leon Capital Group is a holding company that operates assets in the financial services, healthcare, real estate, and technology industries. Leon takes the lead in conceiving, developing, owning, and operating businesses. The firm started as a modest privately-owned real estate development company in Texas and has since evolved into a collection of exceptional businesses capable of operating successfully across multiple geographies and industries. For more information about Leon Capital Group, please visit www.leoncapitalgroup.com.