Marc S. Cooper

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

Forbes: Marc Cooper shares insights on why an IPO boom alone won’t solve private equity’s exit problem

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 …

Industry Q&A: Marc Cooper and Vinod Chandiramani Discuss US Bankruptcies, Balance Sheet Restructuring, and Credit Market Dynamics in 2026

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…

Why Cultural Drift Is A Risk No Bank Can Afford

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…

Solomon Q&A: Coaching the Team, Running the Plays

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…

Industry Q&A: Market Dynamics, Artificial Intelligence, and the Landscape for Technology Dealmaking

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…

M&A Outlook: A Year of Reset, a Prelude to Renewal

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…

Industry Q&A: Trends in Insurance, Focusing on Health Insurance, Self-Funded Solutions, and the Impact of Regulatory Changes

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…

Industry Q&A: Marc Cooper & Tannon Krumpelman Discuss the Current State of Financial Services

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.…

Industry Q&A — Trends and Opportunities for M&A in Behavioral Healthcare

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…

Industry Q&A: Marc Cooper & Jon Hemmert Discuss Why Dealmaking Remains Active in the Professional Services Sector

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…

The Fed Holds the Key to Unlocking Pent-Up M&A Demand

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…