Houlihan Lokey, the global investment bank, announced two new hires that substantially strengthen the firm’s Technology, Media & Telecom (TMT) Group. 

Roy Kabla has joined the firm as a Managing Director and Global Co-Head of the TMT Group alongside Rob Louv. Kabla joins from Nomura, where he was a Managing Director and Global Head of Media & Telecoms. Prior to Nomura, he spent 10 years at Lehman Brothers (later Barclays), where he held a number of roles in the Communications & Media Group. Kabla has advised a wide variety of TMT clients in North America, Europe, and Asia while working in New York and London over the last two decades. He started his career at TD Securities in Toronto, where he focused on Canadian TMT, after earning a Bachelor of Commerce at McGill University.

“As we continue to grow the TMT Group to match the significant activity and opportunities in the sector, we seek to add professionals with deep industry relationships and a strong track record of successful outcomes for their clients. With more than two decades of experience building and leading teams and a genuinely global perspective, Roy is an excellent addition to the Group, and I’m excited to partner with him and continue the success we have achieved to date,” said Louv.

“Given the ongoing convergence and disruption in TMT, the mid-cap space has become incredibly strategic. Accordingly, Houlihan Lokey’s dedication to exceptional client service, longtime market dominance in mid-cap M&A, and substantial recent growth presented an extremely appealing opportunity. I’m excited to partner with Rob and his colleagues to fuel the continued success of the TMT Group,” said Kabla.

In addition to Kabla, Vikram Pandit also has joined the TMT Group as a Director. Pandit joins from JPMorgan, where he was an Executive Director in the Investment Banking Group advising clients in the technology and communications sectors. Prior to JPMorgan, he held roles at Nimaya Inc., an enterprise cloud software provider, and Microstrategy, Inc., a provider of business intelligence, mobile software, and cloud-based services. He is also based in New York.

 “Vik’s breadth of transaction experience and industry expertise in the TMT sector adds intellectual capital and a unique perspective that will be tremendously valuable to our clients.  Together, these hires represent an excellent cultural fit with our approach to client service and underscore our deep commitment to our clients in the TMT sector. I’m delighted that Vik has joined the team,” added Louv.

Houlihan Lokey’s TMT Group consists of 38 officers based in San Francisco, New York, London, and Los Angeles. Its executive-level relationships, superior client focus, domain knowledge, and forward-thinking solutions continue to distinguish the group as a leader in investment banking. In 2017, Thomson Reuters ranked Houlihan Lokey as the No. 1 M&A advisor for U.S. technology, media, entertainment & telecom transactions unde