FocalPoint Partners added restructuring and special situations veteran Richard F. NeJame as managing director in its New York office. With more than two decades of experience, NeJame has advised leveraged and distressed corporate clients, as well as institutional, private equity and other investing clients. His experience spans an array of transactions, with an emphasis on bespoke financing structures, liability management, and recapitalization transactions effected through both Chapter 11 and out-of-court processes.

“We are excited to expand and enhance both our special situations practice and our New York office with the addition of Rich,” Duane Stullich, managing partner at FocalPoint Partners, said. “His industry reputation and complementary restructuring and capital markets expertise bolsters the superior service offering that we provide to our clients, especially in these challenging times.”

Prior to joining FocalPoint, NeJame was the group head for restructuring and special situations advisory at Oppenheimer & Co. Previously, he worked at Alex. Brown & Sons and was a founding member of the restructuring advisory group at Lazard Frères & Co. After almost a decade at Lazard, NeJame helped found the New York office of Imperial Capital as a managing director and member of its restructuring and leveraged finance groups. He later became the co-head of the restructuring and recapitalization advisory group at Gleacher & Company before joining Oppenheimer.

During his career, NeJame has executed more than $100 billion in aggregated transaction value involving more than 80 deals.

“Rich’s unique experience advising issuers on liability management, and his extensive relationships among lenders, bondholders and other creditor constituencies broadens the scope of our services and expands our client base,” Michael Fixler, managing director at FocalPoint Partners, said. “I look forward to working with Rich as we present the full suite of our special situation capabilities to the national market.”

FocalPoint is an independent investment bank specializing in mergers and acquisitions, private placements, financial restructurings, and special situation transactions.

“FocalPoint represents a very unique institution among middle-market investment banking advisors, given product breadth that features a substantial debt advisory business, alongside deep industry expertise,” NeJame said. “I am very excited to join this team of accomplished professionals, with an advisory culture focused on client service.”