Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW), a specialist investment bank to the financial services and fintech sectors, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Stifel Financial, named Alistair McKay as head of European investment banking. In addition, Alex Smith and Gonzalo Smolders have joined the firm as managing directors.
McKay has been with KBW since 2018 as a managing director in the firm’s London office. Prior to joining KBW, he served as a managing director at Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley, leading the asset and wealth management advisory groups at both banks. McKay also has previous experience in the private equity community, serving as CEO of a financial services-focused investment business owned by a leading European family office.
“Alistair has been a driving force behind KBW’s substantial growth in Europe in recent years,” Thomas B. Michaud, president and CEO of KBW, said. “He is a highly effective banker, with experience across all financial services verticals, and has earned the respect of both clients and colleagues alike. I congratulate Alistair on this well-deserved promotion and look forward to his continued contribution as a member of the KBW leadership team.”
Smith joins KBW with more than two decades of financial services experience, with previous stints at Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Mediobanca and Santander. He has executed transactions in all financial subsectors, including asset management, fintech/financial infrastructure and insurance with a particular focus on banking and specialty finance. He also brings a global perspective to KBW, having worked in Canada, Australia and the UK.
Smolders joins from HSBC’s Financial Institutions Group having previously worked at Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley. He has nearly 20 years of investment banking, capital raising and transaction advisory experience across UK and European financial services.
Smith and Smolders are based in KBW’s London office and report to McKay.
“We are delighted to welcome Alex and Gonzalo, two highly talented and experienced bankers, to the KBW platform,” McKay said. “KBW continues to invest in our market-leading franchise as we expand our presence in Europe and open up new opportunities for clients.”
