Chatham and JCRA specialise in providing debt and derivatives solutions to commercial real estate, private equity, infrastructure, financial institutions, and corporate clients. Chatham and JCRA collectively serve over 3,000 clients and advise on more than 20,000 transactions with a notional amount in excess $700 billion each year. The merged firm will lead the industry in capital markets expertise, transaction volume, and technology—providing clients access to the data, tools, and advice they need to manage financial risk.

“Clients of both firms will benefit from our enhanced ability to manage their exposure to capital market risks and innovate alongside them,” said Brian Conly, Managing Partner, Global Head of Private Equity & Infrastructure, and Co-Head of Europe. “Chatham’s expanded European team will continue to deliver best-in-class trade execution while helping clients navigate rapidly evolving markets, from LIBOR replacement to Brexit.”

With decades of experience helping clients manage capital market risk, the caliber of the Chatham and the JCRA teams and their deep expertise will create an unparalleled advisory practice. With almost 700 employees, the combined firm will continue to focus on providing interest rate, foreign currency, inflation, and commodity hedging services, hedge accounting, valuation, and debt management solutions—all backed by Chatham’s proprietary technology platform.

“One of Chatham’s purposes is to help make markets transparent, accessible, and fair for all market participants. We’re excited about how, together with JCRA, we can have an even greater impact,” said Clark Maxwell, Chief Executive Officer of Chatham Financial. “For almost 30 years, we have gained vast experience from the volume and variety of projects and transactions we’ve managed. Our increased breadth of expertise will further strengthen our ability to tackle any challenge our clients need to solve.”

JCRA’s Chief Executive Officer, Jackie Bowie, will join Chatham as Co-Head of Europe. “We’re enthusiastic about the future,” said Bowie. “The combined team’s knowledge of the European markets, now supported by Chatham’s leading technology platform, will raise the bar for what clients expect when transacting in the debt and derivative markets.”

This transaction represents a successful exit for JCRA’s external investor, Connection Capital. The integrated firm will continue to be independent and 100% employee owned, serving clients from offices in London, Singapore, Melbourne, Toronto, Denver, Krakow, and Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.