Dealmaker and Restructuring Expert James H.M. Sprayregen to Join Hilco Global as Vice Chairman and a Key Growth Partner at the Global Financial Services Firm

Chicago, ILL., March 19, 2024 - James H. M. Sprayregen, one of the most well-known and highly regarded dealmakers and thought leaders in the restructuring, corporate reorganization, and the M&A community, will join Hilco Global as a Vice Chairman of the privately held global financial services holding company. 

As Vice Chairman, Mr. Sprayregen will serve as a partner and key strategic advisor to Hilco Global CEO and founder, Jeffrey Hecktman, working alongside another recent hire, David Kurtz – Vice Chairman and Chief Strategic Officer who joined the firm from Lazard in the fall of 2023.  Both leaders, along with John Chen – Vice Chairman and COO, will have oversight for the firm’s rapidly expanding financial services platform within the Office of the Chairman, a new and collaborative executive leadership team at the Hilco Global holding company and reporting to Jeffrey B. Hecktman – Executive Chairman, CEO and Founder.

Jeffrey B. Hecktman, CEO of Hilco Global explained Sprayregen’ s role at the company - “Jamie joins our global executive team as a key advisor and strategic partner alongside David Kurtz and John Chen, to further align our organization to meet the aggressive commercial growth plans we have established for our company."  Hecktman continued, " Not only does Jamie bring to Hilco Global his considerable credentials and outstanding reputation for decades as one of the top restructuring attorneys and dealmakers in the United States, but he also fits in well with Hilco’s indefatigable deal culture and passion to deliver innovative transaction solutions to all our clients.” 

Sprayregen will have responsibility for continuing to help fuel the impressive growth of the firm’s broad solutions platform by leveraging his deep restructuring and advisory experience in combination with Hilco Global’ s expanded merchant banking capabilities including its broad range of advisory services coupled with innovative capital solutions for private credit, special situations, and principal investing.

Sprayregen said, “Having known Hilco Global my entire professional life, I’ve always been impressed by the breadth and depth of their solutions focused platform and their deep relationships with the top executives at third party advisors (including lawyers, lenders, private credit, investment banks, commercial banks, and investors. These relationships provide an incredible foundation for me to contribute and to play a key role in taking Hilco to the next level of growth and expansion.” 

Sprayregen continued, “Jeff Hecktman and his partners at Hilco Global have created a modern, solutions focused firm that offers the most comprehensive range of financial services to deliver restructuring solutions and first-class advisory expertise in combination with capital solutions and principal investing.  This is a powerful combination that results in a modern merchant banking approach that provides customized solutions to resolve complex and stressed situations and enhance long-term enterprise business value.”

Sprayregen joins Hilco Global from Kirkland & Ellis, where he was the founder of the Kirkland Restructuring Group.  He built the group from its inception in 1990 to become the premier restructuring practice in the world. He served on Kirkland’s worldwide management committee from 2003–2006 and 2009–2019. He was co-head of the Restructuring Group at Goldman Sachs from 2006–2008 and returned to Kirkland at the end of 2008. Some of his clients include Energy Future Holdings, Caesars, Avaya, Toys “R” Us, iHeartMedia, Seadrill, General Growth, Japan Airlines, United Airlines and Reader’s Digest.

Jon Ballis, Chairman of Kirkland’s Executive Committee said, “Jamie has been an exceptional lawyer and a tremendous partner and friend, and we’re grateful for his countless contributions to Kirkland – most importantly, his founding of our market-leading restructuring practice. We wish him great success with this exciting new opportunity at Hilco Global and we look forward to continuing our relationship with him, and Hilco, in the future.”

Sprayregen added, “My 32 years at Kirkland have been rewarding in so many ways. As I start a new chapter, it’s especially gratifying to see Kirkland’s restructuring practice stronger than ever, leading on all levels with an unmatched depth of talent and positioned to keep building on their incredible success.”

Often described as “a legend in the restructuring space” and “one of the most sought-after transaction attorneys in the US”, in 2010, Sprayregen was selected by The National Law Journal as one of “The Decade’s Most Influential Lawyers”, was named “Global Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyer of the Year” in 2013 by Who’s Who Legal Awards, receiving more votes from clients and peers than any other individual worldwide. In 2013, he was inducted into the Turnaround Management Association’s “Turnaround and Restructuring Investing Industry Hall of Fame.” From 2013 to 2015, Jamie served a two-year term as the president of INSOL International, the world’s leading international insolvency association. He is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, a member of the International Insolvency Institute and the National Bankruptcy Conference. On March 21st, 2024, Sprayregen will receive the “Distinguished Service Award” from the American College of Bankruptcy Fellows. 

Sprayregen also serves as an adjunct full professor of finance at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania teaching a joint course on corporate restructuring with the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He is a member of the National Board of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the American Jewish Committee Board of Governors. He also serves on the Board of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and World Business Chicago

Sprayregen graduated from The University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., 1985 and the University of Michigan, B.A., 1982.

About Hilco Global: Hilco Global (http://www.hilcoglobal.com/) is a privately held diversified financial services company and the world’s preeminent authority on maximizing the value of assets for both healthy and distressed companies.  Hilco Global financial services leverage a unique blend of deep restructuring, and principal investing. Hilco Global delivers customized solutions to undervalued, high potential companies to resolve complex and stressed situations and enhance long-term enterprise value.

Hilco Global operates as a holding company comprised of over twenty specialized business units that work to help companies understand the value of their assets and as needed monetize the value. Hilco Global has almost 4 decades of a successful track record of acting as an advisor, agent, investor and/or principal in any transaction. Currently, the company has $3 Billion in assets under management. Hilco Global works to deliver the best possible result by aligning interests with clients and providing them strategic insight, advice, and, in many instances, the capital required to complete the deal. Hilco Global is based in Northbrook, Illinois and has more than 800 professionals operating on five continents with US offices located in Boston, Detroit, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and internationally in Australia, Canada, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Mexico and throughout Asia.