Jefferies reunites with MD-level equity analyst after six years apart

David Katz, a senior ranking analyst covering the gaming, lodging and leisure industries, has returned to Jefferies as an MD after a six-year hiatus.

Katz was an MD and a senior equity analyst in the gaming, lodging and leisure team at Telsey Advisory Group (TAG), Dana Telsey’s equity research, sales-trading, investment banking and consulting firm focused on the retail and consumer sector.

But last month, he returned to Jefferies. Katz’s first stint as an MD and equity research analyst at Jefferies began in 2010 but lasted less than two years as he prepared the launch of a new firm. A few months later, he became managing partner and co-founder of GreyCap Advisors, a capital markets strategic advisory services firm primarily focused on small- and mid-cap public companies.

Katz joined Jefferies the first time around after working his way up to MD and senior equity research analyst of gaming, lodging and leisure at CIBC World Markets/Oppenheimer & Co. in New York.

Prior to becoming an equity researcher on Wall Street, Katz was a principal and co-founder of Harlyn Textile Mills/Ozzie Industries, a privately held apparel and textiles manufacturing business.

Jefferies continues to poach senior investment bankers from its larger competitors.

Earlier this year, it lured Timothy Wons, a 12-year veteran as executive director of public finance at J.P. Morgan, to its Chicago office as MD of not-for-profit healthcare investment banking.

In addition, Christopher Dickinson left J.P. Morgan in September to go to Jefferies, where he is now an investment banking MD.

At least when it comes to emerging markets trading and middle-market M&A advisory, the U.S. investment bank has ambitions to compete with the big players – and it’s been hiring.

In March, Jefferies brought in John Bills as an MD in the power, utilities and renewables group in the bank’s New York headquarters. He was poached from BNP Paribas, where he was a managing director and previously the head of power and structured transactions.

That same month, Andrew “Shorty” Shortland stepped down from his position as the head of international equities at Jefferies in London.

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