The firm expands its Consumer, Food & Retail Group expertise with the addition of a seasoned industry advisor to support growth across lifestyle and luxury sectors.
Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE: HLI), a leading global investment bank known for its advisory services in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, restructuring, and financial valuation, has strengthened its Consumer Group with a significant senior appointment. The firm announced that Marco Voci has joined as a Managing Director, based in London. In this new role, Voci will focus on the active lifestyle, branded consumer products, and luxury goods sectors across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), expanding Houlihan Lokey’s strategic advisory presence in these rapidly evolving markets.
Voci will collaborate closely with senior leaders across the firm’s global Consumer Group, including Alexander Grünwald, Managing Director and Global Co-Head of the Consumer Group and leader of the Luxury Goods team, and Nate Pund, Managing Director and lead of the Active Lifestyle team. Together, they will work to deepen the firm’s sector expertise in the EMEA region and continue building Houlihan Lokey’s reputation as a high-impact strategic advisor in categories where consumer behavior, brand value, and lifestyle trends significantly shape M&A and investment strategies.
Extensive Industry and Transaction Leadership
Before joining Houlihan Lokey, Marco Voci held the role of Head of Luxury & Branded Lifestyle, EMEA, within J.P. Morgan’s Consumer and Retail Investment Banking team. His experience spans more than a decade advising regional and global brands across several consumer categories, including luxury fashion, apparel, sporting goods, high-end jewelry, watches, footwear, eyewear, and designer lifestyle brands.
During his 12-year tenure at J.P. Morgan, Voci played a central role in advising on some of the most high-profile international transactions in the luxury and branded goods space. Noteworthy deals include:
- EssilorLuxottica’s acquisition of Supreme, marking a major convergence of global eyewear leadership with streetwear culture.
- LVMH’s landmark acquisition of Tiffany & Co., one of the largest and most widely-publicized luxury retail transactions of the past decade.
- The sale of Reebok to Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a transformative move in the athletic footwear and lifestyle apparel sector.
- Permira’s acquisition of Gruppo Florence, positioning the firm strategically within Italy’s luxury fashion supply chain network.
- Permira’s sale of a minority stake in Golden Goose, a brand recognized for its premium casual footwear and cult customer base.
- The sale of Autry to Style Capital, further signaling the global strength of European lifestyle heritage brands.
- The sale of a stake in Valentino to Kering, a key transaction signaling heightened M&A activity among European luxury conglomerates.
Prior to joining J.P. Morgan in 2014, Voci began his investment banking career in 2010 at Nomura, where he gained early exposure to financial sponsors and leveraged finance advisory work. He later joined DC Advisory, where he spent two years in the Business Services Group, gaining experience advising corporate owners, private equity firms, and strategic buyers. His background spans multiple deal types, including acquisitions, divestitures, capital raising, and private investment transactions, giving him deep insight into how brands evolve, expand, and reposition strategically in competitive global markets.
Leadership Perspectives on the Appointment
The appointment has been welcomed by leadership at Houlihan Lokey, who view Voci’s experience as an asset that will enhance the firm’s ability to offer tailored advisory services in a sector undergoing rapid change, innovation, and consolidation.
Alexander Grünwald, Global Co-Head of the Consumer Group, shared his perspective on why Voci is an ideal addition to the team:
We are really pleased to welcome Marco to Houlihan Lokey and our global Consumer Group. His deep sector expertise and wide-ranging transaction experience across subsectors uniquely position him to elevate our active lifestyle, branded consumer products, and luxury goods coverage in the region. Marco’s proven track record in navigating complex transactions will be extremely valuable as we continue to deliver differentiated, client-focused solutions in an increasingly dynamic sector.
Grünwald emphasized that consumer behavior and brand perception are evolving faster than ever, making transaction advisory experience in these categories particularly valuable.
In his remarks, Marco Voci expressed enthusiasm about joining the firm and highlighted Houlihan Lokey’s strong platform for client advisory and collaborative execution:
A Growing Global Consumer Practice
Houlihan Lokey’s Consumer Group consists of more than 130 professionals worldwide, all dedicated to sector knowledge and transaction execution. The team works across a diverse range of consumer verticals, including:
- Luxury and Premium Goods
- Health and Wellness
- Beverages and Food
- Sports and Active Lifestyle Brands
- Home, Beauty, and Personal Care
- E-commerce and Digitally Native Consumer Brands
The firm is known for delivering strategic advice backed by deep market intelligence, strong valuation and modeling capabilities, and access to a broad investor and corporate buyer network.
In 2024, Houlihan Lokey ranked No. 2 globally for M&A advisory in the consumer sector, completing 62 transactions, according to LSEG (formerly Refinitiv). This ranking underscores the firm’s ability to handle complex, multinational, and private capital-driven deals — especially in categories where brand value plays a central role in valuation outcomes.
Marco Voci’s appointment strengthens Houlihan Lokey’s position in the high-value, brand-driven segments of the global consumer market. His experience advising internationally recognized luxury houses, lifestyle brands, and consumer groups positions him to support clients navigating strategic growth, acquisitions, market expansion, and partnerships. By enhancing its talent and expertise, Houlihan Lokey continues to reinforce its reputation as a leading advisory firm capable of delivering value in fast-evolving, consumer-driven sectors.
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