Mark Sooby and Harris Ghozali will join Lazard as managing directors in Financial Advisory, effective July 2. Based in Houston, they will advise companies in the global oil and gas sector, including on acquisitions and divestitures.

Sooby and Ghozali come from Deutsche Bank, where they were managing directors focused on companies and investors in exploration and production.

“Mark and Harris bring deep expertise and extensive relationships in the energy industry around the world,” said Matt Lustig, head of North American Investment Banking at Lazard. “They will be
strong additions to Lazard’s global oil and gas team at a time when we are increasingly active advising energy companies on their most important strategic and financial matters.”

Sooby, prior to joining Deutsche Bank in 2017, served as a managing director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he was responsible for Energy A&D in the Americas since 2006. Prior to that, he was with Petrie Parkman for seven years, until its acquisition by Merrill Lynch in 2006. He began his energy career as an engineer in the Nuclear Department for Kansas Gas & Electric Company.

Ghozali also previously served as a managing director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which he joined in 2011. Prior to that, he spent 14 years at Ryder Scott, managing and leading reserves evaluations and technical due diligence. He began his career as a petroleum engineer at Exxon.