KBW Grows Fintech Investment Banking Franchise

Senior Hires Announced; Further Expanding Capabilities & Industry-Leading Expertise

NEW YORK, Feb. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW), a leading specialist investment bank to the financial services and fintech sectors, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF), announced the hiring of several senior bankers in the areas of FinTech and Specialty Finance.

Investment bankers Rahul Buxani, Shal Chowdhury, Matthew Schneider, and Ted Conway have joined KBW as Managing Directors in the firm’s FinTech & Financial Services Group. In addition, Paul McCaffery, a KBW veteran since 2002, has transitioned to the Group as well.

The inclusion of these new hires brings the global count of KBW’s FinTech and Financial Services platform to nearly 50 professionals, deepening the Group’s core capabilities of mergers and acquisitions, capital raises, and special committee advisory services.

“We are pleased to welcome Rahul, Shal, Matthew, and Ted to KBW, and excited to have Paul join our team,” said Joseph Berry, Co-Head of Investment Banking and Co-Head of FinTech at KBW. “The collective knowledge, industry backgrounds, and unique accomplishments of these individuals will strengthen our platform, and further cement the firm as a leader in the FinTech and broader financial services landscape.”

Rahul Buxani joins KBW after serving as a Managing Director and Head of Financial Technology & Climate Finance Investment Banking at Citizens JMP Securities. There, he was responsible for sourcing and closing M&A transactions, in addition to structuring equity and debt deals in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, servicing both large cap and growth companies. Earlier in his career, Mr. Buxani was a Managing Director at Oppenheimer & Co, leading FinTech coverage. He also held roles in investment banking at J.P. Morgan and EY Capital Advisors.

Shal Chowdhury joins KBW from Wells Fargo, where he most recently served as a Managing Director and Head of FinTech Investment Banking. He brings nearly two decades of experience in the financial services sector, having successfully sourced and executed transactions across various segments, including merchant acquiring, card networks, security solutions, bank software, earned wage access, and cross-border payments. Prior to Wells Fargo, he was a payments coverage banker in the Technology Investment Banking Group at Barclays.

Matthew Schneider joins KBW after serving as a Director in Investment Banking at Financial Technology Partners (FT Partners), where he focused on deal execution across a variety of FinTech sub-sectors. Earlier in his career, Mr. Schneider was a Director in the Financial Institutions Investment Banking Group at Credit Suisse, covering FinTech and specialty finance companies. Mr. Schneider has more than 15 years of industry experience, including mergers and acquisitions, and raising debt and equity capital.

Ted Conway joins KBW with a primary focus on the mortgage vertical of the firm’s FinTech & Financial Services Group. Prior to this, he served as a Managing Director at Moelis & Company. Mr. Conway began his career over 35 years ago in the Financial Institutions Group of Lehman Brothers and has served in a variety of different investment banking roles since, including debt capital markets, leveraged finance, and financials sponsors at Lehman Brothers and Barclays. A focus on financial services companies has been a constant element throughout Mr. Conway’s career, including the coverage of mortgage REITs, originators, servicers and other mortgage-related companies.

In his new role in Investment Banking, Paul McCaffery’s responsibilities include strategic advisory for financial technology companies and leveraging his deep industry relationships to help in the origination and distribution of private and public capital markets offerings. His primary focus is on cryptocurrency, banktech, and other FinTech related businesses that incorporate AI in their business models. Mr. McCaffery has more than 20 years of experience in equities, previously leading KBW’s Equity Sales effort and Head of Alternative Capital.

“Our team continues to grow, as the delivery of financial services has transformed through the emergence of FinTech,” added Keith Meyers, Co-Head of FinTech and & Financial Services Investment Banking at KBW. “According to McKinsey & Company data, 88% of US consumers use FinTech apps, and nearly two-thirds (65%) use digital banking. In addition, we expect FinTech companies to grow revenue three times faster than traditional banks will from 2023 through 2028. FinTech will unquestionably be a key driver of our business at KBW.”

With extensive advisory and capital raising experience in a range of transaction types across the FinTech and financial services industries, KBW brings unique and nuanced insight to our diversified client base. Our teams in North America and Europe work together closely to provide global reach for our clients.

KBW Information
KBW LLC, a Stifel company, operates in the U.S. and Europe through its broker dealer subsidiaries, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. and Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (“SNEL”), also trading as Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Europe (“KBW Europe”). Over the years, KBW has established itself as a leading authority in the banking, insurance, brokerage, asset management, mortgage banking, FinTech and specialty finance sectors. Founded in 1962, the firm maintains industry-leading positions in the areas of research, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions as well as sales and trading in equities securities of financial services companies.

Stifel Company Information
Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifel’s broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners and Miller Buckfire business divisions; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; and Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC; in Canada through Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc.; and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Company’s broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Company’s website at www.stifel.com. For global disclosures, please visit https://www.stifel.com/investor-relations/press-releases.

Media Contacts:
Neil Shapiro, +1-212 271-3447
shapiron@stifel.com

Krisen LaBanca, +1-212-271-3739
labancak@stifel.com