Houlihan Lokey Expands Its Healthcare Group With Key Hires

J.J. Brown Joins as a Managing Director, Austin Smith Rejoins the Firm in an Expansion of the Firm's Healthcare Services Coverage Capabilities

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. HLI, the global investment bank, has made two additions to the firm's Healthcare Group in New York that substantially expand the firm's healthcare services coverage efforts. Jerome "J.J." Brown and Austin Smith have joined the firm as Managing Director and Vice President, respectively. Both officers are based in New York.

Mr. Brown will cover a broad range of sectors within healthcare services, including healthcare distribution, payor services and cost containment, and workers' compensation, among others. He joins from JMP Securities, where he was a Managing Director in the company's Healthcare Investment Banking Group, advising financial sponsors and public and private healthcare services companies on a range of assignments, including buyside and sellside M&A transactions, capital raising, and fairness opinions. Prior to JMP, Mr. Brown was a Director in BMO Capital Markets' Healthcare Group, focusing exclusively on healthcare services for the bulk of his tenure there.

"J.J.'s experience advising both healthcare services companies and healthcare-focused financial sponsors spans nearly two decades," said Mark Francis, Head of the Healthcare Group. "During that time, he has developed significant relationships, experience, and insights across the sector and advised on nearly every type of transaction. We are excited to introduce J.J. and his deep expertise to our clients as we continue to grow our market-leading Healthcare Group."

In addition, Austin Smith has rejoined Houlihan Lokey as a Vice President in the Healthcare Group, focusing on healthcare services alongside Mr. Brown. Mr. Smith also joins from JMP Securities, where he advised healthcare clients on M&A, recapitalizations, and growth equity investments.

"One of the firm's key considerations in hiring talented professionals is ensuring a good cultural fit with Houlihan Lokey's team-oriented approach and client focus," said Mr. Francis. "Both Austin and J.J. exemplify these qualities, and we're delighted to welcome Austin back to the firm."

Mr. Brown holds a B.A. from Georgetown University and a J.D. from the New York University School of Law. Mr. Smith holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Maryland and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

Houlihan Lokey's Healthcare Group has earned a reputation for providing superior service and achieving outstanding results in M&A advisory, capital-raising, restructuring, and financial advisory services. With 40 professionals, the group is one of the largest of its kind within healthcare. In 2018, the Healthcare Group was ranked as the No. 1 M&A advisor for all U.S. healthcare transactions, according to Thomson Reuters.

About Houlihan Lokey

Houlihan Lokey 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 ranked as the No. 1 M&A advisor for all U.S. transactions, the No. 1 global restructuring advisor, and the No. 1 global M&A fairness opinion advisor over the past 20 years, according to Thomson Reuters. For more information, please visit www.HL.com.

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