Stifel Enhances Options and Equity Derivatives Offering with Key New Hires

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) today announced several key hires to its Options and Equity Derivatives team, helping to enhance the depth and breadth of its product suite for institutional investors.

Eric Southard joins from Raymond James and Sean Finger joins from Leerink Partners as Managing Directors in options sales. Jack Gradowitz joins from J.P. Morgan as a Director on the options trading desk. They are all based in the firm’s New York City office.

“Stifel’s options and equity derivatives offering is built around the core concept of synthesizing the most relevant information from across markets into value-added strategy recommendations to help clients both generate and protect returns,” said Hugh Warns, Global Head of Equities at Stifel. “Eric, Sean, and Jack each bring deep experience across equity derivatives, including sector specialization and event-driven strategies, which are critical in our efforts to grow the options offering.”

Eric Southard, who has more than two decades of equity derivatives experience, rejoins Stifel from Raymond James, where he was most recently a Managing Director in Derivative Sales. Previously, Southard was a Vice President of Equity Derivatives Sales at Stifel.

Sean Finger brings extensive derivative market experience to Stifel, with a specialization in the healthcare sector. He spent 18 years at Leerink Partners, where he was a key tenant in the buildout of the firm’s derivatives desk. He began his career on the floor of the American Stock Exchange.

With more than 17 years of derivatives trading experience, Jack Gradowitz comes to Stifel from J.P. Morgan, where he most recently was a Vice President on the Americas Equity Trading Desk for the firm’s Global Wealth Management business. In his role, Jack was part of a team responsible for the execution of U.S., Canadian, LatAm, Asian, and European equities, ADRs, ETFs, and options.

“I’m pleased to welcome Eric, Sean, and Jack to Stifel,” added Brian Donlin, Head of Equity Derivatives Strategy and Co-Head of U.S. Equity Research. “The combined skill set of our team, across different asset classes and volatility markets, allows Stifel to engage clients in a differentiated context than our peers.”

Stifel’s Options and Equity Derivatives team, which generates actionable trading ideas by leveraging fundamental research, provides institutional clients with a differentiated offering compared to traditional equity strategy research.

Stifel Company Information

Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifel’s broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners business division; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC; and Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC; in Canada through Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc.; and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Company’s broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Company’s website at www.stifel.com. For global disclosures, please visit https://www.stifel.com/investor-relations/press-releases.

Media Contact
Neil Shapiro, +1 (212) 271-3447
shapiron@stifel.com

Investor Relations Contact
Joel Jeffrey, +1 (212) 271-3610
investorrelations@stifel.com