Stephens Launches Energy Group
The firm hired six investment bankers from Energy Capital Solutions, and will run a new office in Houston.
May 15, 2009
Stephens Inc., a Little Rock, Arkansas-based investment bank, has launched an energy group based out of the firm’s existing office in Dallas and a new office in Houston. The investment bank poached six pros from Energy Capital Solutions, LP.
In speaking with MergersUnleashed, Kenny Gunderman, co-head of Stephens’ investment banking, said the team’s business is composed of “about half M&A and half capital-building.” Stephens, which is heavily focused on M&A transactions, sees synergy in the new hires’ PIPE and capital-raising experience. “We think that with our platform and our distribution capabilities, we think that we can take [their expertise] to the next level,” Gunderman said.
Ronald S. Montalbano, Keith J. Behrens and Bradley D. Nelson will lead the new team, which will focus on exploration and production, oil field services, biofuels and alternative energy. Stephens also hired vice president Will Page, associate Joseph Allio and analyst Steven L. Hanks.
Behrens, who joins Stephens as a managing director, was a co-founder of Energy Capital Solutions. Previously, he held investment banking positions at Bear Stearns and Wasserstein Perella. He is focused mostly on exploration and production.
Montalbano, joining Stephens as a managing director, held the same position at Energy Capital Solutions. He is focused primarily on oilfield services companies, in addition to diversified energy firms. He was an investment banker with Raymond James & Associates and Johnson Rice & Company before joining Energy Capital Solutions.
Nelson was also a managing director and co-founder of Energy Capital Solutions, which he joined after working as an associate at Bear Stearns’ energy group. Nelson began at Koch Ventures, the private equity arm of Koch Industries.
In November 2008, Little Rock, Arkansas-based Stephens hired Jennifer Herber to its corporate finance practice.
In addition to the firm’s offices in Arkansas, Stephens has additional locations in Atlanta, Austin, Baton Rouge, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Columbia, Dallas, Houston, Jackson, Memphis, Miami, Nashville, New Haven, New York City, Richmond, St. Petersburg, Washington, D.C. and London.
For more information on related topics, visit the following:
