John Momtazee to lead Global Blockchain Group; Lou Kerner appointed Senior Advisor to the Group

Moelis & Company (NYSE: MC), a leading global independent investment bank, today announced the launch of its Global Blockchain Group which will provide bespoke advisory services to both corporations utilizing blockchain as well as emerging and leading blockchain companies, including those seeking to build a presence in Web3.

The Group is led by John Momtazee, Moelis & Company Co-Founder and Global Head of Media Investment Banking, and will include a team of senior bankers across multiple industry groups with significant experience in advising blockchain companies. This dedicated center of excellence will coordinate with the Firm’s partners globally as clients across all sectors assess the growing opportunities presented by this disruptive technology.

In connection with this expanded and dedicated advisory offering, the Firm announced the appointment of Lou Kerner as Senior Advisor to the Global Blockchain Group. As Founder of the CryptoOracle Collective, a Web3 consulting firm, and Partner at Blockchain Coinvestors, a leading venture investor to blockchain and crypto companies, Lou brings nearly a decade of experience working with, leading and investing in blockchain, cryptocurrency, smart contracts and decentralized finance companies.

“The establishment of the Global Blockchain Group demonstrates our commitment to meet our clients in the moment by providing senior-level counsel across both established and emerging industries. With more than 50 unicorns and several decacorns in the sector already and nearly $20 billion of capital raised for blockchain companies last year, blockchain technology is poised to be as transformative to the global business landscape as the Internet was in the late 90s. Despite the current volatility, we see strong long-term prospects for its application and an increasing need for high quality strategic advice, sources of capital to fund growth and liability management solutions,” said John Momtazee.

“The presence of Moelis as a leading advisor in this space is an important development for the long-term growth of blockchain technology,” said Lou Kerner. “Our combined advisory capabilities, longstanding client relationships and extensive blockchain expertise will help drive the adoption of this transformative technology. I look forward to working with our clients and contributing to Moelis’ culture and reputation as a trusted, long-term advisor.”

Navid Mahmoodzadegan, Co-Founder and Co-President of Moelis & Company, added, “Technological innovation and disruption have been major drivers of transaction activity globally, a trend that will continue to shape the business landscape. As leading investors increasingly look to participate in the substantial value creation that we expect blockchain technology will offer, Moelis & Company’s global platform, strong sponsor relationships, collaborative and agile culture, and entrepreneurial spirit positions us well to help our clients leverage this significant opportunity.”

About Moelis & Company

Moelis & Company is a leading global independent investment bank that provides innovative strategic advice and solutions to a diverse client base, including corporations, governments and financial sponsors. The Firm assists its clients in achieving their strategic goals by offering comprehensive integrated financial advisory services across all major industry sectors. Moelis & Company’s experienced professionals advise clients on their most critical decisions, including mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations and restructurings, capital markets transactions and other corporate finance matters. The Firm serves its clients from 21 locations in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. For further information, please visit: www.moelis.com or follow us on Twitter @Moelis.

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Moelis & Company launches dedicated Blockchain advisory effort. John Momtazee to lead Global Blockchain Group and Lou Kerner appointed Senior Advisor to the Group.