Oct. 5, 2009 (Business Wire) -- Foros Group, a new financial services firm providing M&A and corporate finance advisory and capital raising services to leading corporations and entrepreneurs, announced its official launch today. Foros commenced operations in June 2009 through its Foros Advisors LLC subsidiary. Its Foros Securities LLC subsidiary obtained SEC registration and was granted FINRA membership in August. The Company has already advised on one announced transaction: Virgin Mobile USA on its July 2009 announced sale to Sprint Nextel.
Jean Manas is chief executive officer of the new firm. Until earlier this year, he was head of mergers and acquisitions for the Americas and a member of the global banking executive committee at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. Under Manas’ leadership, Deutsche Bank rose from number twelve in the U.S. M&A league tables in 2006 to number five in 2008 according to Thomason Financial. Prior to joining Deutsche Bank in early 2006, Manas co-headed M&A for the technology, media and telecommunications group at Goldman Sachs & Co.
Manas is joined by Fehmi Zeko, vice chairman responsible for the firm’s media and communications advisory practice. Zeko was formerly vice chairman in global banking and chairman of global media and telecommunications for Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. Before joining Deutsche Bank, Zeko was co-head of global communications and global group head of media investment banking for Citigroup Global Markets Inc. Other senior members of the Foros team include Melissa Fisher, managing director, formerly managing director in mergers and acquisitions at Banc of America Securities LLC; and Simon Auerbach, principal, formerly senior vice president in the technology, media and telecom group at Goldman Sachs & Co.
“Clients seek advisors with a track record of superior advice and who are true partners in growing and transforming their business,” Manas said. “These attributes will be the hallmarks of Foros as we continue longstanding partnerships with existing clients, earn the trust of new clients, and build on this excellent start.”
Said Zeko, “Jean and I worked closely together at Deutsche Bank advising key clients on many significant transactions, and I am pleased to continue that relationship at Foros. He and I share the same client-centric approach to the advisory business and we look forward to building the Foros team by attracting other like-minded advisors to join us.”
“In Ancient Greece, 'Foros' was the word for the compact between Athens and the other City-States,” Manas explained. “Foros is intended to convey the power of the partnership between us and our clients.”
Foros Group is headquartered in New York City. For additional information about Foros, please see www.forosgroup.com.
