LITTLE ROCK, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Stephens Inc., an independent financial services firm, today announced that Dallas-based Blackhill Partners (Blackhill) has joined the firm to lead its new North American restructuring advisory business.
“We have experienced a strong appetite for restructuring expertise in our Stephens Europe Limited operation, and the addition of Blackhill better positions us to service the growing opportunity in the domestic market. With Blackhill’s highly-talented and proven team, this enhanced capability ensures that we are able to bring our clients an even broader set of advisory services, ” said Brad Eichler, Executive Vice-President and Head of Investment Banking at Stephens. “Furthermore, we launch this specialized advisory practice knowing that Blackhill is the right partner with shared values and an abiding commitment to client success,” he concluded.
Stephens’ U.S. restructuring advisory practice comprises 14 former Blackhill professionals including managing directors Lance Gurley, Jeff Jones, Eric Scroggins, and Joe Stone, all of whom were principals in Blackhill and instrumental to its success. Accordingly, there is significant overlap in the industries that Stephens covers and those where Blackhill has historically advised clients. The group will now operate from Stephens’ Dallas office.
“One of the attractions of Stephens for Blackhill was the combination of Stephens’ size and scope with its longstanding aversion to proprietary trading- this transaction will increase our global reach without limiting our agility,” said Joe Stone, Managing Director of Blackhill Partners. “We admire the Stephens’ culture and share their belief in independent, unbiased decision-making, driven by true strategic advice rather than balance sheet relationships. With our combined resources and expertise, we look forward to expanding our successful restructuring business.”
About Stephens Inc. Stephens Inc. is a full service, independent financial services firm headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Since its inception in 1933, privately held Stephens Inc. has served a broad client base which includes corporations, state and local governments, financial institutions, institutional investors and individual investors throughout the United States and overseas. For more information, visit www.stephens.com. Member NYSE, SIPC.