Houlihan Lokey has agreed to acquire Vicente & Partners, expanding the investment bank’s advisory capabilities in the beauty, personal care, and pet health markets across Europe and the U.S.
Vicente & Partners was established in London in 2020 by Alejandro Vicente, the former global head of consumer goods investment banking at J.P. Morgan.
Vicente has more than 30 years of experience in fast-moving consumer goods, including 17 years at J.P. Morgan and eight years in senior corporate positions. He will join Houlihan Lokey as a managing director.
Vicente & Partners colleagues Lidiia Gaiduk and Michelle Garcia will also join the firm. The acquisition will add nine financial professionals to Houlihan Lokey’s London office.
The team has advised on several notable consumer transactions, including Touchland’s sale to Church & Dwight and Kering’s acquisition of luxury fragrance company Creed.
Its experience also includes advising Coty on the $4.3 billion divestiture of its professional and retail hair business to KKR and advising on multiple sales of pet health companies to strategic corporate buyers.
Houlihan Lokey expects the acquisition to strengthen its ability to provide specialized sector advice alongside global capital markets and transaction capabilities. The combination will give Vicente & Partners’ clients access to a larger international platform and a broader range of services.
Houlihan Lokey’s Consumer Group has more than 140 industry-focused professionals worldwide. Its services include mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, restructuring, and financial and valuation advice.
LSEG ranked Houlihan Lokey as the leading adviser for global consumer mergers and acquisitions valued below $1 billion during 2025, excluding accounting firms and brokers.
The transaction was signed on October 30. Its completion will further expand Houlihan Lokey’s London-based consumer team and its coverage of rapidly growing luxury and health-oriented consumer categories.
KEY QUOTES:
“In today’s evolving market, clients increasingly require advisors who possess deep subsector specialization, world-class capital markets expertise, and truly global reach. Partnering with this team allows us to deliver exactly that combination.”
Jay Novak, Global Co-Head of Corporate Finance at Houlihan Lokey
“We have built Vicente & Partners by focusing on close, long-term relationships, our deep sector expertise, and our differentiated, highly discreet approach. Joining Houlihan Lokey is a natural evolution for us, as we share the same core values.”
Alejandro Vicente, Founder of Vicente & Partners
“Vicente & Partners’ expertise in the high-growth beauty, personal care, and pet health sectors perfectly complements our existing strong capabilities in these areas.”
Alexander Grünwald, Global Co-Head of the Consumer Group at Houlihan Lokey
