Berenson & Co. has agreed to bring Brendan Ryan and Jon Steele, currently global co-heads of technology and services investment banking at Raymond James, into the firm as partners and co-leaders as it expands its technology M&A advisory and merchant banking platform.
The bankers are expected to officially join in August and will lead the firm alongside founder Jeffrey Berenson, helping expand its technology advisory business while continuing to invest alongside clients and financial sponsors, as Reuters reported.
Ryan and Steele have spent more than two decades advising technology companies and private equity sponsors on mergers and acquisitions, capital raises and strategic transactions. Their move underscores the increasing appeal of independent advisory firms that offer senior bankers greater ownership and the ability to combine advisory work with direct investing.