Cantor Fitzgerald to Expand its Canadian Operation

Cantor Fitzgerald Canada Corporation, part of Cantor Fitzgerald's global enterprise, today announced that it has entered into agreements to hire the sales and trading, research and investment banking team of Versant Partners Inc., a prominent Canadian institutionally focused investment dealer, and to acquire certain other assets of the firm.

Subject to final closing conditions, this should significantly expand Cantor's capacity to serve growth-oriented companies and investors in the Canadian marketplace.

Mike Jams will lead Cantor's Canadian Equity Capital Markets team, reporting to Laurence Rose, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cantor Fitzgerald Canada Corporation. Highly ranked technology analyst Tom Liston will join Cantor as Director of Canadian Research, responsible for broadening the scope and depth of research coverage.

Building on Versant's strengths in technology, health care and other high-growth industries in which it has been a leading underwriter and advisory services provider, Cantor will expand its capacity to serve Canadian institutional investors. Canadian companies will gain new access to Cantor's global distribution platform, and its breadth of financial products and expertise, as Cantor focuses on providing solutions across a range of clients' strategic business needs.

"We're bullish on Canada and Canadian companies, and look forward to championing them," said Cantor CEO Shawn P. Matthews.

Cantor expects the deal to acquire the Versant Partners team will close in early September.

Cantor Fitzgerald has offices in New York, Europe, Asia/Pacific and the Middle East.