Evercore Taps Veteran Banker Chris Macios for Financial Sponsors Push

NEW YORK, NY – January 05, 2026 – In a significant move to bolster its advisory services for the private equity sector, Evercore has announced the appointment of Chris Macios as a senior managing director in its financial sponsors group. Based in New York, Macios brings nearly two decades of specialized investment banking experience to the premier independent advisory firm.

The strategic hire comes as the financial sponsors market emerges from a period of volatility and gears up for what many anticipate will be a robust cycle of dealmaking. Evercore leadership expressed confidence that Macios's arrival will fortify the firm's position in this critical and highly competitive area.

“We are excited to welcome Chris to Evercore,” said Daniel Mendelow, co-head of U.S. investment banking. “His extensive experience and deep relationships across the financial sponsor community will further strengthen our franchise and enhance how we support our clients.”

Macios himself highlighted the opportunity to build on the firm's established platform. “I am thrilled to join Evercore and help expand the firm’s dedicated financial sponsors coverage effort,” he stated. “Evercore is well positioned to serve this important and increasingly complex client base, and I look forward to delivering for our clients.”

A Strategic Play in a Competitive Arena

Evercore's decision to bring Macios on board is more than a routine senior appointment; it represents a calculated maneuver in the high-stakes battle for private equity advisory mandates. Financial sponsors—including private equity firms, infrastructure funds, and sovereign wealth funds—have become one of the most important client segments for investment banks, driving a substantial portion of global M&A activity.

Competition in this space is fierce, with independent advisors like Evercore vying against both bulge-bracket banks and other specialized firms. For instance, rival Lazard recently reshuffled its own leadership within its Financial Sponsors Group, appointing co-leaders to capture a larger slice of a market commanding over $15 trillion in assets. These moves underscore a sector-wide recognition that deep, specialized coverage is essential for growth.

By hiring a veteran with a dedicated focus on financial sponsors, Evercore is signaling its intent to double down on its franchise. The firm aims to leverage Macios’s network to deepen existing relationships and forge new ones, positioning itself as the go-to independent advisor for complex transactions in a market that is only growing in sophistication.

The Power of a Proven Track Record

Chris Macios's career is a testament to the value of specialized expertise in investment banking. His professional journey has seen him at the heart of financial sponsors coverage at several prominent firms, building a reputation for advising on key middle-market transactions.

Most recently, Macios served as a senior managing director at Guggenheim Securities, where he joined in 2020 to help expand its private equity advisory business. During his tenure, he was instrumental in cultivating relationships with middle and lower middle-market sponsors. His work contributed to a busy period for the firm, which closed approximately 110 deals with private equity counterparties in 2021. Notable transactions he was involved with include advising on the sale of cybersecurity firm A-LIGN to Warburg Pincus, the majority investment by Berkshire Partners in Harvey Performance Company, and the sale of digital product developer 3Pillar Global to H.I.G. Capital.

Before his time at Guggenheim, Macios was a director in Houlihan Lokey’s Financial Sponsors Group and spent eight years in a similar role at Wells Fargo. He began his career as an associate at NewStar Financial. This consistent, long-term focus has allowed him to build the kind of “deep relationships” that are invaluable in the advisory world, where trust and a proven track record can be the deciding factor in winning mandates.

Navigating a Shifting Private Equity Landscape

The timing of Macios's move to Evercore is particularly noteworthy, aligning with a significant inflection point in the global private equity market. After a challenging 2023 marked by high interest rates and a sharp decline in deal volume, the market showed strong signs of recovery throughout 2024. Global financial sponsor deal value surged 66% through mid-September 2024, with the U.S. market more than doubling.

This rebound is fueled by several powerful tailwinds. First is the unprecedented level of undeployed capital, or “dry powder,” which stands at a record $1.9 trillion. Private equity firms are under immense pressure from their investors to put this capital to work. Second, the financing environment has improved, with stabilizing interest rates and the continued dominance of private credit providing flexible capital for new deals. Finally, there is a pent-up need for exits, as many sponsors held onto assets through the downturn. U.S. private equity exit hold times began to normalize in 2024, pointing toward a future wave of monetization activity.

This confluence of factors is creating a fertile ground for investment banks. As sponsors look to deploy massive sums of capital and simultaneously manage a backlog of exits, the demand for sophisticated strategic and financial advice is set to intensify. Firms with strong sponsor coverage teams are best positioned to capitalize on this impending surge in M&A, IPOs, and recapitalizations.

Positioning for a New Wave of Dealmaking

With the market poised for a new cycle of activity, Evercore's investment in top talent like Chris Macios appears prescient. The outlook for 2025 and beyond is one of cautious but firm optimism. Investors and fund managers alike anticipate that an easing monetary policy will further unlock lending and facilitate a greater volume of transactions across the board.

Activity is expected to be particularly strong in sectors that have shown resilience and growth potential, including technology, healthcare, and industrials—areas where private equity has already been a major force. The resurgence of the IPO market, coupled with a continued appetite for corporate carve-outs and take-private deals, will provide multiple avenues for sponsors to generate returns.

In this environment, Macios’s role will be to ensure Evercore is at the forefront of these opportunities. His experience in navigating the full investment lifecycle, from acquisition to exit, will be crucial in advising clients through the complexities of the current market. By strengthening its financial sponsors group, Evercore is not just adding a senior banker; it is strategically enhancing its capacity to guide clients through the anticipated record-breaking deal activity of the coming years.