LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wedbush Securities, one of the nation’s leading full-service investment firms and #1 liquidity provider for NASDAQ listed securities, announced the addition of Douglas Whitaker as Managing Director and Director of Consumer Investment Banking. Whitaker will be based out of Wedbush’s Phoenix, Arizona office, and in addition to leading the Firm’s consumer investment banking practice will be charged with growing general investment banking activities within that geography.
With more than 27 years as an investment banker primarily in the Consumer Sector, Whitaker is experienced in a full range of investment banking activities, including public offerings, private placements, merger and acquisitions and other advisory services. Prior to joining Wedbush, Whitaker was at Piper Jaffray for 26 years and, as a senior banker, managed over 50 public equity financings and numerous advisory engagements for a broad range of consumer-driven businesses, particularly in the specialty retail and consumer product sectors. While at Piper Whitaker was the senior banker on a team that was #1 in terms of the number of managed public offerings for US retailers for the ten year period from 2002-2011.
“Doug possesses unrivaled experience and relationships in the consumer sector,” stated Gary Wedbush, Executive Vice President and Head of Capital Markets at Wedbush Securities, “and is a major addition to our investment banking leadership team. We have built a solid consumer equity research franchise and I believe our west coast headquarters provides a unique advantage in this marketplace.”
Whitaker graduated from Duke University, magna cum laude, where he captained the golf team and received a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School. He has served on the Board of several private companies and non-profit institutions.
Whittaker conveyed "I am excited to join the Wedbush team with their deep history of serving consumer-driven businesses. I look forward to helping build the leading middle market investment banking franchise."
About Wedbush Securities
Founded in 1955, Wedbush Securities is a leading investment firm that provides brokerage, clearing, investment banking, equities research, public finance, fixed income sales and trading, and asset management to individual, institutional and issuing clients. Headquartered in Los Angeles, with 100 offices, Wedbush focuses on relentless service, client financial safety, continuity, and advanced technology. (www.wedbush.com)