Jeffrey H. Cohen to Join Lazard as Global Head of Retail

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lazard Ltd (NYSE: LAZ) announced today that Jeffrey H. Cohen, a leading retail industry investment banker, has joined the firm as a Managing Director and Global Head of Retail, effective immediately. Mr. Cohen, based in New York, most recently served as the Global Head of UBS’s Retail Group.

“He is an outstanding addition to both our global retail sector M&A and our restructuring teams. Many of us have worked with him over the years, and we are pleased that Jeff has joined Lazard.”

“Jeff has built long-standing senior-level relationships with major retail companies around the world,” said Kenneth M. Jacobs, CEO of Lazard North America. “He is an outstanding addition to both our global retail sector M&A and our restructuring teams. Many of us have worked with him over the years, and we are pleased that Jeff has joined Lazard.”

During his career, Mr. Cohen, age 45, has worked on transactions for many of the world’s leading retail companies in the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America, such as Wal-Mart, SUPERVALU, Best Buy, A&P, RadioShack, PETCO, Casino, Trust-Mart and G. Barbosa. He also has advised on large and complex restructuring assignments, including Kmart, Montgomery Ward and Macy’s.

Before joining UBS’s Investment Banking Division in 2005, he was a Managing Director at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, formerly Wasserstein Perella & Co., for 14 years, where he also led the Retail Group. Prior to that he was an attorney at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. He received a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and a BS in Economics as well as a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

About Lazard

Lazard, one of the world's preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms, operates from 39 cities across 24 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Central and South America. With origins dating back to 1848, the firm provides advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and capital raising, as well as asset management services to corporations, partnerships, institutions, governments, and individuals. For more information on Lazard, please visit www.lazard.com.