Jefferies Hires JPMorgan’s Al Mesmari for Top Middle East Role

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. is hiring Majed Khalifa Al Mesmari from JPMorgan Chase & Co. to become head of its investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa, people with knowledge of the matter said.

(Bloomberg) — Jefferies Financial Group Inc. is hiring Majed Khalifa Al Mesmari from JPMorgan Chase & Co. to become head of its investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa, people with knowledge of the matter said.

Al Mesmari will be based in Dubai, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. 

The Middle East has been an important source of deal flow for bankers amid the broader dropoff in mergers and acquisitions activity globally, with sovereign wealth funds and state-owned entities keen to put their vast cash reserves to work at home and abroad. 

Al Mesmari was most recently senior country officer for the United Arab Emirates at JPMorgan and earlier worked at Rothschild & Co. During his career, Al Mesmari has advised Abu Dhabi wealth funds ADQ and Mubadala Investment Co. 

At Jefferies, he’ll report to Dominic Lester, head of investment banking in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Raphael Bejarano, co-head of global investment banking, the people said. 

A representative for Jefferies declined to comment.

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