Goldman appoints Simon Lyons UK investment banking co-head

Sept 22 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs has appointed Simon Lyons as co-head of UK investment banking, a spokesperson for the US bank confirmed. Lyons will join as a partner alongside co-head Nimesh Khiroya.

Previously co-head of Europe for Ardea Partners and a founding partner at PJT Partners, Lyons will be based in London and is expected to join later this year, they said. The banker joins at a time when the US bank has stretched out its market share lead in UK and European dealmaking.

Goldman Sachs ranks top for UK M&A so far this year with $175 billion in value from 69 deals, according to LSEG data. In the UK, it advised Unilever Foods in its merger with McCormick, Tate & Lyle on its takeover by Ingredion and Zurich on its takeover of Beazley.

By the summer, Goldman Sachs had grown its share of mergers and acquisitions advisory work involving Europe, the Middle East and Africa in the first half of 2026, capturing the biggest slice of the market in the period for nearly a decade, LSEG data showed.

He spent the earlier part of his career at UBS where he was head of UK M&A.

Goldman has made a number of senior hires in Europe recently including David Benichou, who joined in 2026 from Morgan Stanley as co-head of investment banking for France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, Carsten Woehrn, who joined in 2024 from JPMorgan as co-head of European M&A, along with Philippe Gallone, who joined in 2024 from Moelis as head of healthcare for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Lyons was an adviser to NatWest on its acquisition of Evelyn Partners and UK-listed Mitie on its sale to British outsourcer OCS.  

(Editing by Anousha Sakoui and Louise Heavens)