Goldman Sachs Names Simon Lyons UK Investment Banking Co-Head

Goldman Sachs has appointed veteran dealmaker Simon Lyons as co-head of UK investment banking as the Wall Street firm strengthens its leadership team amid a dominant year for British and European mergers and acquisitions.

Lyons will join Goldman Sachs as a partner and work alongside Nimesh Khiroya, the bank’s other UK investment banking co-head, a spokesperson confirmed. Based in London, Lyons is expected to begin his new role later this year.

Before joining Goldman Sachs, Lyons served as co-head of Europe at Ardea Partners and was a founding partner at PJT Partners. Earlier in his career, he worked at UBS, where he eventually became head of UK M&A.

His appointment comes as Goldman Sachs expands its lead in UK dealmaking. According to LSEG data, the bank ranks first in UK mergers and acquisitions so far this year, advising on 69 transactions valued at a combined $175 billion.

Recent mandates include advising Unilever Foods on its merger with McCormick, Tate & Lyle on its takeover by Ingredion, and Zurich on its acquisition of Beazley. Lyons, meanwhile, has advised NatWest on its acquisition of Evelyn Partners and UK-listed Mitie on its sale to British outsourcing company OCS.

Goldman Sachs also increased its share of M&A advisory activity across Europe, the Middle East and Africa during the first half of 2026. LSEG data showed the firm captured its largest share of the EMEA market in nearly a decade.

The bank has made several other senior European hires in recent years. David Benichou joined from Morgan Stanley in 2026 as co-head of investment banking for France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Carsten Woehrn moved from JPMorgan in 2024 to become co-head of European M&A, while Philippe Gallone joined from Moelis that year as head of healthcare for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Lyons’ arrival adds another experienced M&A banker to Goldman Sachs as the firm seeks to maintain its strong position in UK and European investment banking.