Leading Investment Banker Riccardo Pavoncelli to Join Lazard for Cross-Border Deals

Business Wire, Sept 26, 2005

LONDON -- Lazard announced today that Riccardo Pavoncelli, one of Europe's leading investment bankers, is joining the firm in October to focus on European cross-border investment banking.

Prior to joining Lazard as a senior Managing Director, Mr. Pavoncelli spent the past 17 years at Morgan Stanley where he held a number of senior positions, including Co-Head of the firm's European Media and Telecommunications Investment Banking Group. He will be based in London.

"Riccardo brings enormous experience as a senior banker in the European cross-border arena," said William Rucker, Co-Chairman of Lazard's European Investment Banking Group. "This is a clear demonstration of our commitment to clients in this area."

Lazard's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Bruce Wasserstein, said: "We are very pleased to add a banker of Riccardo's stature."

Arnaldo Borghesi, the Chief Executive Officer of Lazard Italia, added: "I'm excited about Riccardo joining the firm and reinforcing our focus on cross-border opportunities for Lazard's clients."

Mr. Pavoncelli joined Morgan Stanley's investment banking group in 1988. He was appointed Morgan Stanley's Head of European Debt Capital Markets, and elected a member of its European Investment Banking Operating Committee in 1995. Mr. Pavoncelli later moved to Morgan Stanley's Media and Telecommunications practice, where he became co-head of the group in 2001. Most recently, among his other responsibilities, Mr. Pavoncelli has been in charge of Morgan Stanley's investment banking effort in Italy.

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