Investment Banking Associate | Business Services

Business Unit:

Corporate Finance

Industry:

Business Services

Overview

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI) is a global investment bank with expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital solutions, financial restructuring, and financial and valuation advisory. Houlihan Lokey serves corporations, institutions, and governments worldwide with offices in the Americas, 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. The firm is the No. 1 investment bank for all global M&A transactions for the past two years, the No. 1 M&A advisor for the past 10 years in the U.S., the No. 1 global restructuring advisor for the past 11 years, and the No. 1 global M&A fairness opinion advisor over the past 25 years, all based on number of transactions and according to data provided by LSEG.

Corporate Finance

Houlihan Lokey has extensive expertise in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, activist shareholder and takeover defense, and other related advisory services for a broad range of U.S. and international clients. Our experience in M&A has earned us consistent recognition throughout the industry. In 2024, we were ranked the No. 1 M&A advisor for all U.S. transactions.

Business Services

Houlihan Lokey’s Business Services Group offers M&A advisory, capital raising, valuation, and corporate restructurings to public and private companies. We work with companies providing professional and technology-related services across a number of end markets and regularly collaborate with other Houlihan Lokey industry and product groups to bring the highest level of knowledge, services, and relationships to our clients.

Our team covers a broad array of sectors, with bankers dedicated to each of our primary coverage areas. We maintain deep, senior-level relationships with major strategic and financial buyers of professional and technology-related services companies, as well as large, public, and private company thought leaders within the industry.

As one of the leading M&A advisors in our sector, we help open doors to opportunities—whether our clients are seeking a strategic or financial partner in a change-of-control or minority-investment transaction.

Job Description

Associates are primarily responsible for the creation and oversight of financial models, marketing materials, internal and external presentations, as well as performing research and various analyses in support of new business generation and the execution of M&A transactions.

Associates are afforded meaningful responsibility and are generally members of four-person deal teams, comprising a Managing Director, Vice President, Associate, and Financial Analyst.

The Business Services team has particularly strong sector practices in the areas of Training & Education, Transportation & Logistics, Marketing Services, IT Services, BPO Services, Information Services, Engineering & Construction, Testing, Inspection & Certification, and Rental Service.

As an Associate, you will be expected to:

• Prepare, analyze, and explain historical and projected financial information

• Coordinate and perform business due diligence and execute M&A transactions

• Prepare marketing materials, confidential information presentations, management presentations, and other presentations as needed

• Perform valuation and ad hoc financial analyses

• Assist in the marketing and execution of existing engagements

• Build relationships and maintain direct contact with clients, prospective clients, and professional advisors

• Communicate effectively with all members of the team, including the supervision and mentoring of junior staff members

Basic Qualifications:

• Advanced knowledge of accounting and finance

• An undergraduate degree, including an exemplary academic record, from an accredited institution

• Strong analytical/technical and qualitative abilities

• 3-4 years of investment banking experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Strong public speaking and presentation skills

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment managing multiple project deliverables simultaneously

• Extensive operational financial modeling and valuation experience 

• Hands-on M&A experience

• Transaction experience in Business Services is a plus

Compensation and Benefits

Houlihan Lokey is com