Perspectives – Marc Cooper – September 2021
Introducing the New Solomon
I’m pleased to share the news that PJ SOLOMON has officially changed its name to Solomon Partners! Our rebrand has been in the works for years, quite literally, and is a reflection of the incredible growth and evolution the firm has gone through. I see the new name as a celebration of all the hard work our team – past and present – has put in, and wanted to share some thoughts and perspectives on it.
I first joined PJ SOLOMON in 1999 and despite all of my excitement at the time, I never in my wildest dreams could’ve imagined how the next two decades would have gone. The dot-com bubble was a less than ideal environment to start in, but time has a way of moving along and fears of Y2K suddenly gave way to a busy and productive period for us, our clients and the M&A market.
As the world climbed out of the depths of 2008, the firm continued to grow and I was humbled and honored to become CEO in the summer of 2016. The company was firmly a part of my DNA at that point, and I was looking forward to building on what Peter J. Solomon had so successfully created when he opened our doors in 1989.
Part of that future started when we formed an alliance with Natixis, which acquired a 51% stake in our company in June 2016. It was a fantastic partnership since we both shared the same objectives, which was to build a diversified strategic advisory platform in the U.S., and it was then that the seeds of Solomon Partners were first planted.
Fast forward five years and it’s still a great partnership, which is quite rare for global banking relationships. And in that time our firm has blossomed from roughly 35 bankers covering two industry verticals to more than 120 with expertise in 14 different industries. Diversifying our platform was a core part of our strategic vision in 2016 and for us to not only execute on that, but to exceed our already ambitious goals – through yet another crisis, this time with COVID-19 – is something I’m incredibly proud of.
I’m old enough to know that nothing stays the same forever, and many times that’s a good thing. Change is needed. Growth is healthy. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” is the antithesis of how we think and work, and for good reason. Our clients come to us for honest counsel, expert insights and original ideas. Being different has been the secret to our success, and I’m so thrilled to see our new brand come to life.
Peter J. Solomon instilled into the firm a strong culture of client service and collective partnership, and we are here today because of what he built. As I start my sixth year as CEO and 22nd overall with the firm, I look forward to keeping an eye on the future while never losing sight of the core values he established for us.
