Mark Mikullitz joined investment bank Houlihan Lokey as a managing director in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group. He will be based in New York and lead the firm’s shareholder activism defense practice and strengthen its public company M&A focus.

Mikullitz joins from Deutsche Bank, where he was head of Activism and Contested Situations in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group. He has advised on a broad range of engagements including M&A, shareholder activist situations, proxy contests, consent solicitations, and corporate governance matters, among others. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Mikullitz spent seven years in J.P. Morgan’s Mergers & Acquisitions Group and served as an M&A attorney with the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

“Mark’s prior work on both traditional M&A transactions and activist defense engagements is outstanding, and his experience and knowledge make him an excellent cultural match with Houlihan Lokey’s mission to provide thoughtful, expert and independent advice,” said Steven Tishman, global head of M&A. “We are confident that he will be an invaluable resource to our clients as we continue to grow the business, and we’re delighted that he has joined the firm,” he continued.

“As a market leader in mid-cap M&A, particularly in the U.S., and with a long and successful track record in activist defense, Houlihan Lokey offers an extremely exciting opportunity for me to contribute meaningfully to the intellectual capital and outstanding client results for which the firm is known,” said Mikullitz. “I look forward to partnering with my colleagues across the firm and continue to build on the firm’s momentum in both public company M&A advisory and in advising clients on how best to prepare for, and successfully manage, shareholder activist situations.”