Houlihan Lokey, a global investment bank, announced that Robert M. Wilson has joined the firm as a Managing Director in the Industrials Group, focusing on the packaging and paper sectors. He is based in New York.

Wilson joins from SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, where he held a number of roles, most recently as Managing Director and Head of the Paper & Packaging practice. While at SunTrust, he helped substantially grow the firm’s Industrials coverage, advising on a broad range of M&A and financing transactions for large- and mid-cap companies, financial sponsors, and entrepreneurs. Prior experience also includes roles in the investment banking divisions of Barclays and Credit Suisse.

“Rapidly-changing sectors such as packaging and paper can present significant challenges and opportunities for our clients, requiring advisors who possess substantial transaction expertise and deep industry relationships. With a 20-year track record of success as a trusted advisor to corporates and sponsors on both M&A and debt and equity financings, Rob is an excellent addition to our Industrials Group. We’re delighted he has joined the team,” said William Peluchiwski, Co-Head of the Industrials Group.

“Houlihan Lokey’s meritocracy culture and combination of established corporate relationships and extensive financial sponsors coverage, presents a compelling opportunity to join one of the largest and most successful Industrials teams in financial services. I’m excited to partner with my colleagues in the U.S., Europe, and Asia to build on the successes Houlihan Lokey has achieved,” said Mr. Wilson.

“Rob’s breadth of experience across both mid-cap and large-cap M&A—buyside, sellside, and related financings—will enhance the team as we reinforce our market-leading position in the middle market while increasingly advising on larger Industrials transactions. We’re confident that both our clients and the Industrials team will benefit tremendously from Rob’s expertise and decades of transaction success,” said Jim Lavelle, Co-Head of the Industrials Group.

Wilson holds a B.S. in Commerce from Washington and Lee University.

In 2018, Houlihan Lokey was ranked for the fourth consecutive year as both the No. 1 M&A advisor for all U.S. transactions and a top 10 most active global M&A advisor, based on Thomson Reuters’ annual year-end league table data.