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Scott Adelson

Chief Executive Officer & Director, Houlihan Lokey

Search every verified Scott Adelson interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Scott Adelson, CEO of Houlihan Lokey, discussed the firm's performance and strategy in an August 2025 podcast. He described the M&A landscape as having rebounded in 2025, driven by stable interest rates and improved market conditions, while noting an "elevated restructuring environment." Adelson stated that the firm's 2015 NYSE listing was "the single best branding exercise we've ever had," particularly outside the U.S. He characterized his transition to CEO as "more about changing seats at a table than anything else," adding that the leadership team has been running the company for a long time and that the firm's direction remains consistent. Adelson emphasized Houlihan Lokey's midcap focus and its data sets from being a leading transaction, restructuring, and valuation firm, which he said will enable better decisions in an AI-driven world. In a 2017 interview, Adelson identified retail as the most stressed sector for restructuring, comparing its potential opportunity to the earlier energy downturn. He noted that while retail is not as large as energy—which represented about 20% of the high-yield debt market—there would still be companies that do not survive. Adelson also pointed to stress in healthcare and technology sectors in certain regions.

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