Top 15 Corporate Finance Advisors to Hire in 2026
The right corporate finance advisors can make or break your biggest financial decisions. Whether you're navigating a merger, raising capital, or restructuring debt, who you partner with matters. I've broken down the top firms so you can cut through the noise and find the advisor that fits your deal, your industry, and your goals.
Top 15 Corporate Finance Advisors
Below are the profiles of the top corporate finance advisors, covering who they are and the impact they've made in this space.
Evan Junek
Evan Junek is J.P. Morgan’s Managing Director and Global Head of Corporate Finance Advisory, advising senior executives and boards on valuation, capital structure, allocation, and shareholder value strategies.
His work explores how…
Evan Junek is J.P. Morgan’s Managing Director and Global Head of Corporate Finance Advisory, advising senior executives and boards on valuation, capital structure, allocation, and shareholder value strategies.
His work explores how companies fund growth, invest capital, manage their finances, and adapt to changing markets. He also co-leads J.P. Morgan’s Corporate Compass with Rama Variankaval, helping senior leaders understand how market, geopolitical, and business changes affect financial decisions.
Rama Variankaval
Rama Variankaval leads Corporate Advisory at J.P. Morgan, overseeing teams spanning corporate finance, M&A structuring, infrastructure finance, sustainability, and global climate strategy.
His teams advise companies on investments, financing, shareholder value, deals,…
Rama Variankaval leads Corporate Advisory at J.P. Morgan, overseeing teams spanning corporate finance, M&A structuring, infrastructure finance, sustainability, and global climate strategy.
His teams advise companies on investments, financing, shareholder value, deals, infrastructure, and sustainability. Variankaval helps CFOs understand how technology, geopolitics, decarbonization, and changing capital markets affect financial and business decisions.
Larry DeAngelo
Larry DeAngelo is the Managing Director and Global Co-Head of Corporate Finance at Houlihan Lokey. He brings more than three decades of corporate finance and private equity experience to the firm’s global…
Larry DeAngelo is the Managing Director and Global Co-Head of Corporate Finance at Houlihan Lokey. He brings more than three decades of corporate finance and private equity experience to the firm’s global leadership.
DeAngelo has completed more than 75 M&A transactions representing $25 billion in transaction value. His background includes investment banking and private equity, while his advisory work covers business services sectors including marketing, information services, and specialty consulting.
Jay Novak
Jay Novak is Managing Director and Global Co-Head of Corporate Finance at Houlihan Lokey, where he leads a worldwide team and draws on decades of investment banking experience across consumer and food…
Jay Novak is Managing Director and Global Co-Head of Corporate Finance at Houlihan Lokey, where he leads a worldwide team and draws on decades of investment banking experience across consumer and food sectors.
Since joining Houlihan Lokey in 1996, Novak has led more than 300 corporate finance engagements involving M&A, debt financing, and restructuring. He previously built the firm’s global Consumer Group, giving him strong experience in transactions, financing, and advice for consumer businesses.
Chris Janssen
Chris Janssen is Kroll’s Managing Director and Global Head of Transaction Opinions, advising boards and special committees on major transactions through independent financial analysis and valuation.
Janssen specializes in independent financial reviews…
Chris Janssen is Kroll’s Managing Director and Global Head of Transaction Opinions, advising boards and special committees on major transactions through independent financial analysis and valuation.
Janssen specializes in independent financial reviews and business valuations for public and private companies. His team advises boards and special committees on mergers, spin-offs, dividends, share buybacks, restructurings, and financing, helping them make major business decisions with confidence.
Stephen Burt
Stephen Burt is Kroll’s Global Head of M&A Advisory and President of Kroll Securities, with more than two decades of experience advising middle-market buyers, sellers, and corporate clients.
Burt advises private and…
Stephen Burt is Kroll’s Global Head of M&A Advisory and President of Kroll Securities, with more than two decades of experience advising middle-market buyers, sellers, and corporate clients.
Burt advises private and public companies on acquisitions, sales, fundraising, and restructuring. He has sold more than 100 mid-sized companies and raised over $1 billion for clients, combining deal experience with broader financial guidance.
Anu Aiyengar
Anu Aiyengar is J.P. Morgan’s Global Head of Advisory and M&A and is a senior investment banker who has advised domestic and international clients on major strategic transactions for decades.
Aiyengar advises…
Anu Aiyengar is J.P. Morgan’s Global Head of Advisory and M&A and is a senior investment banker who has advised domestic and international clients on major strategic transactions for decades.
Aiyengar advises on mergers, acquisitions, company sales, buyouts, contested deals, and special committee matters. Her experience with complex transactions helps finance leaders understand strategy, valuation, deal structure, and execution.
Josh Benn
Josh Benn is Kroll’s Global Head of Investment Banking and leads its Consumer, Food, Restaurant and Retail Investment Banking practice, bringing middle-market M&A advisory experience.
Benn has managed mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations,…
Josh Benn is Kroll’s Global Head of Investment Banking and leads its Consumer, Food, Restaurant and Retail Investment Banking practice, bringing middle-market M&A advisory experience.
Benn has managed mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, and transaction opinions for public and privately owned businesses. His leadership combines firmwide investment banking responsibilities with sector expertise, giving finance teams a practical view of transactions from strategy through execution.
Bob Bartell, CFA
Bob Bartell, CFA, is Vice Chairman of Kroll, where he advises executive leadership and key clients after holding senior roles across corporate finance, securities, M&A, and transaction opinions.
Bartell’s experience includes fairness…
Bob Bartell, CFA, is Vice Chairman of Kroll, where he advises executive leadership and key clients after holding senior roles across corporate finance, securities, M&A, and transaction opinions.
Bartell’s experience includes fairness and solvency opinions, M&A, restructuring, debt advisory, financial due diligence, and strategic advice. He previously led Kroll Corporate Finance and Kroll Securities and helped build the firm’s M&A Financial Sponsors Group. This experience gives him a broad understanding of corporate finance decisions.
Howard Johnson
Howard Johnson leads Canadian M&A Advisory at Kroll, advising business owners, executives, and boards on acquisitions, divestitures, financing, fairness opinions, and shareholder value.
Johnson combines deal experience with expertise in valuation and…
Howard Johnson leads Canadian M&A Advisory at Kroll, advising business owners, executives, and boards on acquisitions, divestitures, financing, fairness opinions, and shareholder value.
Johnson combines deal experience with expertise in valuation and corporate finance. His books cover shareholder value, acquisitions, private-company sales, business valuation, and corporate finance, helping executives understand the financial factors behind major business decisions.
David Lu
David Lu is Kroll’s Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific Corporate Finance, with prior leadership roles in Asian investment banking, capital markets, M&A, and cross-border private placements.
Before Kroll, Lu led…
David Lu is Kroll’s Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific Corporate Finance, with prior leadership roles in Asian investment banking, capital markets, M&A, and cross-border private placements.
Before Kroll, Lu led Asia investment banking at Cowen and held senior China investment banking roles at Rodman & Renshaw and Piper Jaffray. His experience across M&A, capital markets, and private placements gives corporate finance leaders an Asia-focused perspective on raising capital and executing strategic transactions.
Alexandre Pierantoni
Alexandre Pierantoni is a Kroll Managing Director and Head of Latin America and Brazil Investment Banking, with more than three decades of corporate finance experience across global sectors.
Pierantoni works across buy-…
Alexandre Pierantoni is a Kroll Managing Director and Head of Latin America and Brazil Investment Banking, with more than three decades of corporate finance experience across global sectors.
Pierantoni works across buy- and sell-side M&A, valuation, corporate development, and strategic analysis for financial and strategic investors. His experience spans Latin America, the U.S., and Europe, combining regional market knowledge with cross-border transaction work across consumer, industrial, technology, healthcare, and education.
David Lee
David Lee is Kroll’s Managing Director and Head of EMEA Transaction Opinions, advising companies, boards, special committees, counsel, trustees, and shareholders on complex transactions.
Lee specializes in transaction opinions and valuations involving…
David Lee is Kroll’s Managing Director and Head of EMEA Transaction Opinions, advising companies, boards, special committees, counsel, trustees, and shareholders on complex transactions.
Lee specializes in transaction opinions and valuations involving M&A, private placements, and recapitalizations. His work includes fairness and solvency opinions for take-privates, leveraged buyouts, related-party deals, spin-offs, capital raises, and other complex transactions where independent financial analysis supports fiduciary decisions.
Sean D. Murphy
Sean D. Murphy is Houlihan Lokey’s Managing Director and Head of Transaction Advisory Services. He leads deal-focused financial, accounting, tax, operational, and diligence advisory work.
Murphy’s team supports companies, investors, and lenders…
Sean D. Murphy is Houlihan Lokey’s Managing Director and Head of Transaction Advisory Services. He leads deal-focused financial, accounting, tax, operational, and diligence advisory work.
Murphy’s team supports companies, investors, and lenders across the deal continuum, using financial diligence, analytics, tax, and operational advice to surface risks and value drivers. Before Houlihan Lokey, he spent more than two decades at KPMG, where his work included major private equity and transaction engagements.
Robert Leitão
Robert Leitão is Managing Partner of Rothschild & Co Gestion and Head of Global Advisory, while also serving as Co-Chairman of the Group Partners Committee and CEO of NM Rothschild & Sons.
…
Robert Leitão is Managing Partner of Rothschild & Co Gestion and Head of Global Advisory, while also serving as Co-Chairman of the Group Partners Committee and CEO of NM Rothschild & Sons.
Leitão combines group-level leadership with responsibility for Rothschild & Co’s Global Advisory business. His remit places him at the intersection of senior corporate advice, strategic transactions, and investment banking, giving finance executives a perspective shaped by both advisory leadership and the governance of a global financial group.
Selection Methodology
We selected the leaders on this list based on their relevance, demonstrated expertise and impact, professional credibility, and ongoing contributions to the field.
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We look for evidence such as leading meaningful initiatives or delivering notable results within their organizations, developing influential ideas or practices, publishing research or educational resources, speaking or teaching, and other contributions that demonstrate impact within their work or the broader field.
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