Eric Stewart

Background

• Senior Managing Director, Leerink Partners — hired June 2025 to found the firm's first international office (London) and lead its European Healthcare M&A practice.
• Prior: 10+ years at Lazard (Managing Director, co-head European Healthcare Group); before that, Houlihan Lokey Healthcare and Stryker.
• BA Economics, University of Michigan.

Current focus

• Standing up Leerink's European deal franchise: pharma, biotech, medtech, life science tools and diagnostics coverage from London, working alongside the US investment banking team.

What he cares about

• Cross-border strategic M&A and IPO execution for European biopharma/healthcare companies; building durable sponsor and corporate-development relationships rather than one-off transactions.

Recent moves

• Left Lazard for Leerink in June 2025 amid a broader wave of senior healthcare banker moves and Leerink's ~50% 2024 revenue growth; this is his first buy-side-adjacent platform build rather than an established seat.

Potential sensitivities

• Non-compete/garden-leave considerations from his Lazard exit may limit which deals or clients he can discuss.
• As a newly built European practice, deal flow and headcount are still ramping — avoid assuming Leerink already has the same European bench depth as Lazard or Goldman.

Questions to ask

1. Which CDMO/pharma services sponsors or strategics is he currently in dialogue with in Europe post-launch?
2. How is Leerink differentiating its European healthcare coverage from established players like Lazard, Centerview, and Goldman?
3. Given Mallinckrodt/Endo and Abcam/Danaher, what read-throughs does he see for consolidation among mid-cap European pharma services and CDMO assets?