Marc S. Cooper

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

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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 Trustee of the Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board and a member of the CNBC CEO Council and the Economic Club of New York.

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
Consumer Retail, Healthcare, Financial Sponsors
Conair American Securities
May 2021
Served as financial advisor to Conair Corporation on its sale to American Securities
Consumer Retail, Financial Sponsors
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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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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M&A Outlook: A Year of Reset, a Prelude to Renewal
12-16-2025
Perspectives
By Marc Cooper Entering 2025, the M&A market embraced post-election optimism that pro-business policies, lighter regulation and lower taxes would finally unlock a long-awaited dealmaking rebound. It looked as if the dam might finally break. Then reality intervened. An array of potential US tariffs introduced a familiar financial-market foe: uncertainty. It wasn’t the existence of…
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Industry Q&A: Trends in Insurance, Focusing on Health Insurance, Self-Funded Solutions, and the Impact of Regulatory Changes
10-17-2025
Reports
By Marc Cooper As many consumers contemplate their health insurance options during the Open Enrollment period, which takes place at this time of year in the United States, I sat down to discuss industry trends with Matthew Cornish . He serves as a Managing Director in Solomon’s Financial Institutions Group and has deep expertise in…
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Industry Q&A: Marc Cooper & Tannon Krumpelman Discuss the Current State of Financial Services
09-22-2025
Reports
By CEO Marc Cooper Tannon Krumpelman joined Solomon Partners in April as a Partner in our rapidly expanding Financial Institutions Group. Tannon works with clients across multiple subsectors of the industry, including financial technology, asset & wealth management, banking, specialty finance, and capital markets companies, as well as private equity and other alternative investment firms.…
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Industry Q&A — Trends and Opportunities for M&A in Behavioral Healthcare
08-18-2025
Perspectives
by CEO Marc S. Cooper From COVID-19 and changing regulations to rising interest rates and inflation, the past few years have been both exciting and challenging for companies operating in the behavioral healthcare space. I recently spoke with Whit Knier , a Partner in our Healthcare Group who has been advising companies in the industry…
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Industry Q&A: Marc Cooper & Jon Hemmert Discuss Why Dealmaking Remains Active in the Professional Services Sector
07-29-2025
Perspectives
Solomon welcomed Jonathan Hemmert as a Partner this month to build a dedicated Professional Services practice. Jon and I spoke about what has been driving the large number of mergers & acquisitions in this sector and whether dealmaking activity will remain robust. He also shared insights on the trends impacting this sector, including Artificial Intelligence…
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The Fed Holds the Key to Unlocking Pent-Up M&A Demand
07-23-2025
Perspectives
By Marc S. Cooper M&A doesn’t need a roaring bull market to thrive — but it does need clarity. In the current environment, there’s one signal more important than any other: the timing of the next Federal Reserve’s interest rate move. Momentum had been building for a broader pickup in M&A activity earlier this year…
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Industry Q&A: Marc Cooper & Jon Pritti Discuss the Impact of AI in the Healthcare Sector
05-15-2025
Perspectives
Solomon welcomed Jonathan Pritti as a Partner leading our Healthcare Technology Practice in April. This month, I sat down with him to delve into investments in Artificial Intelligence within the healthcare sector, the challenges and opportunities presented by interoperability, and the role of institutional investments in driving innovation. Jon shared his expert insights on the…
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Industry Q&A: Factors Fueling Surge in Retail Sector M&A
04-16-2025
Perspectives
by CEO Marc Cooper I recently spoke with Head of Consumer Retail David Shiffman about the phenomenal amount of Mergers & Acquisitions activity in the sector since 2024 and factors contributing to continued momentum. David, tell us about recent retail M&A activity and what your expectations are for Q2 and beyond. Marc there’s been a…
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