US investment bank Stifel announces opening of Israel office

The Israel office, Raymond said, will enable Stifel to provide improved service and execution to clients operating in Israel or active in the Israeli market.

By EYTAN HALON
Stifel managing director and Israel country head Alain Dobkin (photo credit: STIFEL FINANCIAL CORP.)
Stifel managing director and Israel country head Alain Dobkin
(photo credit: STIFEL FINANCIAL CORP.)
Stifel Financial Corp., a leading American multinational brokerage and investment banking firm, announced the opening of its first office in Israel on Tuesday.
The central Tel Aviv office, which will focus on investment banking and institutional services, will be headed by veteran investment banker Alain Dobkin, who also joins St. Louis-headquartered Stifel as managing director.
The publicly-listed company, founded in 1890, is one of America’s most established investment firms, with $350 billion in assets under management and ranked as the leading middle market firm for merger and acquisition transactions under $1billion.
“We view Israel as a highly strategic market,” said Brad Raymond, head of Global Investment Banking at Stifel. “With robust growth in both M&A and overall capital markets activity, strong middle-market characteristics, and key industry sector concentration, Israel is an excellent fit for our global investment banking platform.”
The Israel office, Raymond said, will enable Stifel to provide improved service and execution to clients operating in Israel or active in the Israeli market.
“Stifel recognizes the strategic nature of the Israel market, and also the impressive growth in investment activity as Israeli innovation across virtually all sectors has attracted significant and growing levels of global investment and acquisitions of Israeli companies,” Dobkin told The Jerusalem Post.
“At the same time, the Israel market is really a ‘middle-market’ in terms of transaction size and is a strong fit for Stifel’s middle market transaction focus and industry expertise. With a local presence in Israel, Stifel will be much better positioned to service Israel-based clients in channeling and delivering Stifel’s network and platform for global transactions and also for global clients looking to transact in Israel.”
Prior to joining Stifel, Dokin served as one of the original members of Citigroup’s investment banking platform in Israel and subsequently a managing partner at Spring Hill Partners.