Lehman appoints new co-head of leveraged

US investment bank Lehman Brothers has expanded its leveraged finance team, appointing James Greenwood as co-head of the European unit.

Greenwood joins the firm as managing director will work alongside Charles Pitts-Tucker and report to Peter Combe, co-head of Global Financial Sponsors. In total, Greenwood has fifteen years experience of the leveraged finance market, including stints at Merrill Lynch, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and Bankers Trust. During his career he has led transactions working with firms such as Permira, Charterhouse Development Capital, Electra, Cinven and BC Partners. 

Lehman Brothers’ reputation in European leveraged finance has been augmented by its role in some of the largest European LBOs including the KKR-Wendel Consortium acquisition of Legrand, where alongside Credit Suisse First Boston and Royal Bank of Scotland it arranged a $2.2bn acquisition credit facility.

In August 2002, the bank arranged a proprietary £610m debt package consisting of £400m of senior debt, £135m of mezzanine and $75m of PIK financing for Charterhouse’s E1.4bn acquisition of Coral Eurobet.

“European leveraged finance is a specialist area with a limited number of quality players so I am delighted that Greenwood is joining our team,” said Peter Combe, co-head of Global Financial Sponsors.