Houlihan Lokey has announced that Nathan Pund has joined the firm as a Managing Director in the Consumer, Food, & Retail (CFR) Group. He is based in Dallas, Texas, and will continue his focus on the active lifestyle, outdoor, and tactical sectors.

Pund joins the firm from Lazard Middle Market, where he was a Managing Director focused on advising clients around the world in the active lifestyle, outdoor, and tactical sectors. Prior to Lazard, he was a Managing Director at D.A. Davidson & Co. He was also the co-founder of Silver Steep Partners, a boutique investment banking firm that was ranked as the leading global advisor to clients in the outdoor sector, which he ultimately sold to D.A. Davidson & Co.

“As a pioneer in the active lifestyle sector, Nate is perhaps the most active, successful, and well-known banker in this segment of the market. His depth of expertise—having advised on 55 transactions in the space—and entrepreneurial success, combined with having co-founded a top-ranked outdoor-focused advisory firm, represent an excellent cultural match with Houlihan Lokey. Nate is a fantastic addition to the team as we continue to grow our market-leading CFR Group, and I’m excited that he has joined the firm,” said Jay Novak, Global Head of Houlihan Lokey’s Consumer, Food & Retail Group.

“I am honored to join the CFR team at Houlihan Lokey, where I hope to continue to build upon the group’s long-standing industry success. Being part of such a storied organization—one that has grown and succeeded through hard work and singular dedication to its clients—aligns exactly with my own ideals and practices,” said Pund.

Pund holds a B.A. in Economics from Bates College and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He also holds a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation from the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR). Pund was named a Top 10 Power Broker in the Outdoor Industry by OR Daily in 2016 and appeared in Sporting Goods Business’ list of 40 Under 40 Outdoor Industry Leaders in 2010.

With nearly 60 financial professionals, located in New York, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and London, Houlihan Lokey’s Consumer, Food & Retail Group is among the largest in financial services, advising clients worldwide. In 2016, Thomson Reuters ranked Houlihan Lokey as the No. 1 M&A advisor for U.S. consumer, food, and retail transactions under $1 billion.