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LionTree
LionTree is an independent investment and merchant bank with deep roots in the media, technology, communications, consumer, and creative industries.
LionTree
LionTree is an independent investment and merchant bank with deep roots in the media, technology, communications, consumer, and creative industries. Its thematic focus and expertise help relationships unlock growth and transformation across key areas of the global digital economy. Its integrated platform spans Advisory, Capital Markets, and Asset Management.
General information
Firm type
Private Equity
Year founded
2012
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
New York, NY, United States
Additional offices
San Francisco, CA · London, UK · Paris, France
Principals
Aryeh Bourkoff
Founder & CEO
Ehren Stenzler
President
Alex Michael
Partner, Head of M&A
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at LionTree?
Founder and CEO Aryeh Bourkoff sets the investment strategy alongside the firm's partnership. Bourkoff exercises final authority on principal commitments, a structure established when he led the spinout from UBS in 2012. The investment committee includes President Ehren Stenzler and the heads of the firm's equity and credit platforms.
How does LionTree source proprietary deal flow?
Proprietary deal flow is generated through the firm's investment banking advisory practice. When LionTree advises on a major merger — such as Discovery-WarnerMedia — the firm gains visibility into non-public asset carve-outs, financing needs, and management-aligned co-investment opportunities that external investors do not see. Senior operating executives from the media and telecom sectors also form an informal network that surfaces pre-market transactions.
Does LionTree participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The firm primarily executes direct co-investments and structured debt deals rather than committing capital as a limited partner to external funds. Its investment team negotiates terms deal-by-deal, often alongside the advisory mandate. This direct-only posture was visible when LionTree participated as a co-investor in the Fanatics financing round rather than through a fund-of-funds allocation.
What investment stages does LionTree typically target?
LionTree targets growth-stage and late-stage private companies within TMT, with occasional structured credit and recapitalization deals. The firm is not seed or early-stage; it enters once a company has established revenue and requires capital for acquisition-driven growth or balance-sheet restructuring. Its advisory work on $1B+ mergers aligns it with companies needing expansion-stage minority equity or acquisition bridge financing.
How is LionTree's advisory conflict-of-interest managed?
Conflict management relies on upfront disclosure in engagement letters and a legal structure that separates advisory and principal-side partnership entities. When LionTree invests capital in a transaction it is also advising on, the dual role is disclosed to all parties. This design forces the firm to earn buy-in from both sides of the table rather than operating behind separate compliance walls.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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