Vice President Digital Value Creation - Transaction Advisory Services, TAS India

Houlihan Lokey appoints Prabha Sipi Bhandari as Chief Legal Officer. Published on 09/22/2026 at 09:07 am EDT Business Wire Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI), the global investment bank, announced today the appointment of Prabha Sipi Bhandari as Chief Legal Officer, with responsibility for overseeing all legal and compliance activities globally, and she will serve as corporate secretary to the firm's board of directors. In that capacity, she will serve as an Executive Officer of the firm. Ms. Bhandari succeeds Christopher Crain, who has served as Houlihan Lokey's General Counsel since 2004. "We are delighted to welcome Sipi to Houlihan Lokey," said Scott Adelson, CEO of Houlihan Lokey. "She is a seasoned executive who brings deep experience in M&A, corporate governance, and legal and regulatory matters at a number of world-class financial institutions and public companies, making her the ideal choice to lead our legal and compliance functions as we continue to grow our business globally." Ms. Bhandari joins Houlihan Lokey from Paychex, where she served as Chief Legal Officer, Chief Ethics Officer, and Secretary. In that role, she was a member of the Executive Committee and advised the company and its board of directors on a wide range of legal and strategic matters. Prior to Paychex, Ms. Bhandari held senior legal positions at American International Group (AIG), Freddie Mac, and Viacom. She also spent 13 years at Deutsche Bank, serving as Managing Director, General Counsel for Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., and Global Head of Mergers & Acquisitions - Legal. Earlier in her career, she was a Corporate Associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell. She began her legal career as a Law Clerk for the Honorable John M. Duhé Jr. of the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. "I have long admired Houlihan Lokey's collaborative culture and exceptional market reputation, which is grounded in client dedication, integrity, and intellectual rigor," said Ms. Bhandari. "I am thrilled to join the firm at such an exciting point in its growth. I look forward to working closely with the leadership team and our talented banking, legal, and compliance professionals worldwide to support our strategic priorities and navigate an increasingly complex global landscape." Mr. Crain will move to the role of Corporate Senior Advisor, assisting with the leadership transition of the firm's Legal and Compliance department to Ms. Bhandari and then advising the firm's senior management on a range of non-legal matters. "I want to extend our deepest gratitude to Christopher for his outstanding commitment and more than two decades of service to the firm," added Mr. Adelson. "His leadership and counsel have been invaluable, and we are very pleased that he will continue to contribute his expertise as a senior advisor." Ms. Bhandari earned her B.S. from Cornell University and J.D. from the New York University School of Law, where she served as an editor on the NYU Law Review. She is a member of the board of trustees of the Brooklyn Children's Museum and the Private Sector Steering Committee of the South Asian Bar Association of New York. About Houlihan Lokey Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI) is a leading global investment bank recognized for delivering independent strategic and financial advice to corporations, financial sponsors, and governments. With uniquely deep industry expertise, broad international reach, and a partnership approach rooted in trust, the firm provides innovative, integrated solutions across mergers and acquisitions, capital solutions, financial restructuring, and financial and valuation advisory. Our unmatched transaction volumes provide differentiated, data-driven perspectives that help our clients achieve their most critical goals. To learn more about Houlihan Lokey, please visit HL.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260922641269/en/ (C) Business Wire - 2026

Houlihan Lokey reports that private-credit stress is rising among smaller borrowers in Q2 2026. Companies with less than $100 million EBITDA posted default rates of 3% by loan value and 3.6% by borrower count. The weakest segment is firms with $10 million to $20 million EBITDA, where 12% of loans now trade below 90% of par, compared with roughly 1% in 2023. Larger borrowers remain healthier overall. Across the full market, defaults were only 0.8% of outstanding principal, yet 2.5% of borrowers were in default. Healthcare showed the clearest stress, with defaults at 4.2% by borrower count. Software had among the lowest default rates. Despite these pressures, median revenues rose 6.5% and EBITDA increased 7.4% year over year.

The Morning Briefing: Advisers hike fees and segment client books to beat rising cost to serve. Good morning and welcome to your Morning Briefing for Thursday 10 September 2026. To get this in your inbox every morning click here. Advisers hike fees and segment client books to beat rising cost to serve Financial advice practices are balancing ambitious recruitment and client onboarding plans with scrutiny of ongoing client suitability, according to research from NextWealth. The consultant's latest Financial Advice Business Benchmarks report, based on a survey of 318 financial advice professionals, reveals that 64% work at firms intending to expand by taking on new clients, while 53% aim to increase assets from existing relationships. Andrew Tully: Yet more complexity in the savings landscape Isas should be among the simplest and most trusted savings vehicles in the UK. Yet successive reforms are making the landscape harder for clients to understand and for advisers and providers to administer. From 6 April 2027, the Cash Isa subscription limit for under-65s will fall to £12,000, alongside anti-avoidance measures intended to stop non-Cash Isas being used as cash shelters. Utmost Group assets reach £123bn as European flows jump 50% Utmost Group has posted a 16% increase in normalised inflows for the first half of 2026, largely because demand accelerated sharply across its continental European markets. Consequently, the international provider of insurance-based wealth solutions saw its assets under administration climb to £123.4bn in the six months to 30 June, up from £107.1bn in the first half of 2025 and £116.3bn at full-year 2025. Quote Of The Day Savers lit a £10bn distress flare at the 2024 Budget, which was never extinguished. To avoid another damaging repeat, chancellor John Healey must side with savers by committing to pension tax stability now - Michael Summersgill, CEO, AJ Bell Stat Attack Nearly half (48.4%) of surveyed Britons say concerns regarding their credit score have negatively impacted their financial confidence over the past 12 months, according to new research from credit card company thimbl.com. The survey of 318 UK customers highlights a sharp disconnect between self-reported credit education and emotional reassurance, showing how score anxieties actively influence borrowing habits. It shows: feel confident they understand the factors that can affect their credit score. believe they are aware of the actions they can take to improve their credit rating. have worried about their credit score despite high self-reported understanding. know what their current credit score is, leaving nearly two in five unaware. have avoided applying for credit due to fears that their score would be too low. report that credit score worries have dented their overall financial confidence in the past year. have deliberately avoided checking their credit score out of fear of what it might reveal. Fairstone has appointed Scott Kirkby as chief corporate development officer as the wealth management group targets expanding client assets under management to £40bn over the next four years. Kirkby arrives from global investment bank Houlihan Lokey, bringing over 25 years of senior experience across firms including Bupa, NatWest and Credit Suisse. In his new role, he will direct group-wide deal origination and execution across the UK and Ireland. The appointment comes as Fairstone steps up its downstream buyout programme following eight acquisitions in the first quarter of 2026. Chief executive Steven Cooper CBE praised Kirkby's pedigree, noting his arrival will drive further consolidation momentum. The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment has awarded three advice practices CISI Chartered Firm(TM) status, recognising their adherence to high professional and ethical standards. The newly accredited businesses are Manchester-based Smart Financial, Salisbury's Grovely Financial, and London-based Chancery Lane Income Planners. The pre-eminent designation requires firms to demonstrate rigorous continuous professional development programmes alongside a proven commitment to staff learning and development. Kevin Moore, executive director of membership and business development at the CISI, praised the trio for upholding excellence and high-calibre client advice within an increasingly globalised financial sector. Leaders across all three firms welcomed the benchmark accreditation. From Elsewhere Britain faces winter with soaring gas prices and thin reserves (Bloomberg) Net zero grid upgrades drive a £200bn energy industry civil war (The Telegraph) Currency markets subdued as oil shock lifts global yields; ECB, US inflation eyed (Reuters) Did You See? Extreme heat is often viewed primarily as an environmental or public health concern. Yet its effects are increasingly being felt on company operations, infrastructure, asset values and investment returns. Tom Browne interviews Dr Alejandro Martí, CEO and co-founder of climate risk intelligence firm Mitiga Solutions, and explains why advisers should begin factoring heat and other physical climate risks into conversations with clients.