KEN COSTA JOINS LAZARD TO LEAD UK INVESTMENT BANKING WITH WILLIAM RUCKER
LONDON, 6 September 2007 – Lazard Ltd (NYSE:LAZ) announced today that Ken Costa will lead its
UK Investment Banking business alongside William Rucker, CEO of Lazard in London. Mr. Costa will
join the firm in October from UBS, where he was Chairman of Investment Banking for Europe, the
Middle East and Africa. Mr. Costa will be named Chairman of Lazard International and a Deputy
Chairman of Lazard.
“Ken Costa embodies the special character of Lazard," said Bruce Wasserstein, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Lazard. "I have known him for over 20 years as a banker of unusual talent, integrity and professionalism. With hiring Ken, we reinforce our strategy of servicing clients with the top talent around the world."
“I am delighted to be joining Lazard, and this role offers me a great opportunity to help expand the Lazard franchise,” said Mr. Costa. “The reputation of Lazard as a trusted advisor has been established for more than 150 years. I look forward to building on this platform with William and his UK colleagues, and with Lazard's international network."
"Ken will be a great addition to our team, and I am looking forward to working with him as my partner," said Mr. Rucker, who is also a Deputy Chairman of Lazard.
Mr. Costa, 57, began his investment-banking career in 1976 at S.G. Warburg in London, which ultimately became part of UBS. During his tenure there, Mr. Costa was Deputy Chairman of S.G. Warburg & Co. Ltd, Chairman of the Investment Banking Board of SBC Warburg and Global Head of Mergers and Acquisitions. He was appointed as a Vice Chairman of UBS Warburg in 1998, and was appointed Chairman of Investment Banking for Europe, the Middle East and Africa in 2004.
"Ken joins an impressive team in London and throughout Europe," said Georges Ralli, CEO of Lazard's European Investment Banking business. "Under the leadership of William, Ken and their team, we are positioned to make a strong business even stronger."
Mr. Costa has been particularly involved in structuring cross-border mergers, acquisitions and
divestitures. Mr. Costa also specialises in providing advice to family controlled companies, and has advised a number of Middle Eastern investment companies on acquisitions. He studied law and theology at Queens College, Cambridge.
The hiring of Mr. Costa marks the latest of a number of moves by Lazard to expand its financial advisory business around the world. Lazard recently acquired Carnegie, Wylie & Company, Australia’s leading independent financial advisory firm, and Goldsmith Agio Helms, a U.S. middle-market advisory firm, which will serve as the core of a new growth initiative focused on advising U.S. mid-sized companies.
The firm also signed a cooperation agreement with Raiffeisen Investment, the M&A advisory business for Austria’s largest banking group, strengthening its footprint across Russia, Central and Eastern Europe, and announced plans to acquire 50 percent of MBA Banco de Inversiones, extending Lazard’s reach across Central and South America.
Media contacts:
Richard Creswell, +44 207 187 2305
richard.creswell@lazard.com
Judi Mackey, +1 212 632 1428
judi.mackey@lazard.com
Angus Maitland, + 44 207 379 5151
amaitland@maitland.co.uk