Marc S. Cooper

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

marc.cooper@solomonpartners.com

Phone

(212) 508-1680

Connect

Experience

Marc S. Cooper is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Solomon Partners. He has served as Chief Executive Officer since 2016, previously holding the role of Vice Chairman.

Under Marc’s leadership, Solomon Partners has evolved into a leading investment bank, significantly expanding and diversifying its capabilities. He has grown the firm’s industry coverage from two sectors to 12+, broadened its M&A and capital advisory expertise, and scaled the organization from 35 bankers to more than 200.

Marc joined the firm in 1999 and led Solomon’s Consumer Retail Group, advising leading retailers and consumer brands on strategic transactions. Over the course of his career, he has advised on hundreds of transactions globally.

Marc is a member of The CEO Center of The Conference Board, the CNBC CEO Council, and the Economic Club of New York.

Education

Marc holds an MBA, magna cum laude, and a BS from New York University.

Select Recent Transactions

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Steve Madden / Kurt Geiger
May 2025
£289,000,000
Served as financial advisor to Steve Madden on its acquisition of Kurt Geiger
Capital Advisory, Consumer Retail
Saks Global / Neiman Marcus Group
December 2024
$2,700,000,000
Served as a financial advisor to Saks Global on its acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group
Consumer Retail
HBC / NMG
July 2024
$2,650,000,000
Serving as a financial advisor to HBC on its pending acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group
M&A and Strategic Advisory, Consumer Retail
rag & bone
April 2024
Served as financial advisor to rag & bone on its sale to Guess?, Inc. and WHP Global
Consumer Retail
Wahoo Fitness
May 2023
$275,000,000
Served as financial advisor to Wahoo Fitness on its recapitalization and growth financing
Financial Sponsors, Consumer Retail, Healthcare
Conair American Securities
May 2021
Served as financial advisor to Conair Corporation on its sale to American Securities
Financial Sponsors, Consumer Retail
Hudson’s Bay Company on its sale of Lord + Taylor to Le Tote.
November 2019
Served as advisor to Hudson’s Bay Company on its sale of Lord + Taylor to Le Tote.
M&A and Strategic Advisory, Consumer Retail
Charlesbank Capital Partners and Partners Group
August 2018
$2,500,000,000
Served as co-advisor to Charlesbank Capital Partners and Partners Group in the sale of Varsity Brands to BainCapital
Consumer Retail
Barneys New York, Inc.
December 2004
$400,000,000
Advised the company on its sale to Jones Apparel Group
Consumer Retail
Quiksilver Inc.
October 2009
$750,000,000
Advised the company in $350 million multi-tranche Secured Financing Facility
Consumer Retail
Jones Group Inc.
December 2013
$2,200,000,000
Advised the Board of Directors of apparel and footwear conglomerate Jones Group Inc. in connection with its sale to private equity firm Sycamore Partners LLC.
Consumer Retail
HBC
September 2018
€3,250,000,000
Financial advisor to HBC on its sale of real estate assets to Signa and the formation of a joint venture between HBC Europe and Karstadt.
M&A and Strategic Advisory, Consumer Retail

Latest Insights

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Forbes Finance Council: Marc Cooper explains how private equity’s slow burn will shape the next M&A cycle
10-19-2026
Media Coverage
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Industry Q&A: How Higher Rates Are Reshaping Financial Institutions M&A
10-19-2026
Perspectives
By Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marc S. Cooper Following Solomon’s Financial Institutions Leadership Forum this month, I spoke with Arik Rashkes who joined Solomon Partners less than two years ago to establish our Financial Institutions Group. We discussed the outlook for M&A in the financial services sector, how higher rates are influencing transaction…
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Industry Q&A: Grocery Competition, Consolidation, and the Battle for Scale
09-16-2026
Perspectives
By Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marc S. Cooper Scott Moses , Head of our Grocery, Pharmacy & Restaurants practice, has been advising supermarket grocers for more than 25 years. He shares his perspective on grocery M&A, the impact of global competitors, and why scale has become essential to competing against the world’s largest…
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Industry Q&A: Restructuring and the Changing Credit Landscape
08-17-2026
Perspectives
By Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marc S. Cooper Michael Sellinger joined Solomon Partners this spring as a Partner in our Capital Advisory Group, bringing deep restructuring experience and a pragmatic perspective on how companies and stakeholders navigate periods of financial stress. We discussed what he is seeing in the bond and loan markets,…
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AI Is Revolutionizing the Way We Work. It’s Also Quietly Breaking the Talent Model
07-30-2026
Perspectives
By Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marc Cooper Successful investment banking rests on judgment, execution, and client relationships. AI will not change these intrinsic human capabilities, yet it represents far more than another productivity tool. It is a sea change in how banking work gets done – and, just as importantly, in how the next…
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Industry Q&A: Ideas, Investment, and the Rise of In-Real-Life Media
07-21-2026
Perspectives
By Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marc S. Cooper Following the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, I spoke with Solomon’s Head of Media & Entertainment Mark Boidman about the event, including the firm’s first Cannes summit convening senior executives for candid conversations, curated meetings, and networking. Mark, Solomon has attended Cannes Lions…
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The Conference Board: Marc Cooper discusses why boards are doubling down on the US, how M&A is fueling growth, and what’s slowing private equity
06-01-2026
Media Coverage
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Forbes: Marc Cooper shares insights on why an IPO boom alone won’t solve private equity’s exit problem
05-28-2026
Media Coverage
By Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marc Cooper Wall Street may be on the cusp of one of the most consequential initial public offering (IPO) waves in years. SpaceX is preparing what could be the largest IPO in history , potentially valuing the rocket maker and xAI owner at close to $1.75 trillion. OpenAI and …
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Industry Q&A: Marc Cooper and Vinod Chandiramani Discuss US Bankruptcies, Balance Sheet Restructuring, and Credit Market Dynamics in 2026
03-26-2026
Perspectives
By CEO Marc S. Cooper As 2026 unfolds, questions around US bankruptcies, capital structure stress, and the durability of recent credit strategies remain top of mind for investors and corporate leaders alike. This month I sat down with the firm’s Head of Capital Advisory Vinod Chandiramani to discuss what may lie ahead for financing, capital solutions, liability management, restructurings, the broader economy, and expansion…
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Why Cultural Drift Is A Risk No Bank Can Afford
03-25-2026
Media Coverage
By Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Marc Cooper Culture is not a soft management variable in financial services. It is the operating system. Strategy, scale and profitability matter, of course. But culture determines how decisions are made when markets turn volatile and short-term gain tempts long-term compromise. It is the invisible architecture that keeps an…
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Solomon Q&A: Coaching the Team, Running the Plays
03-25-2026
Perspectives
By CEO Marc Cooper David Shiffman joined the firm in May 2012 and, in addition to continuing as Co-Head of the Consumer Retail Group, he was recently promoted to Head of Investment Banking. We talked about how the role strengthens coordination and senior oversight for clients—and how it supports Solomon’s next generation of bankers. Those…
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Industry Q&A: Market Dynamics, Artificial Intelligence, and the Landscape for Technology Dealmaking
02-24-2026
Perspectives
In January, Solomon Partners announced several key leadership appointments, including the hiring of Ian O’Neal as a Partner in the firm’s Technology Group and senior-level promotions . Ian recently sat down with CEO Marc Cooper to discuss his background, current market themes, and what he’s hearing most often from clients. Ian, tell us about your…
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