Zeus Capital, the investment banking boutique, has built upon its specialist team in the healthcare sector, hiring Phil Walker as head of healthcare corporate finance.
Walker has over 15 years’ experience in the healthcare and life sciences sectors and has advised on in excess of 50 transactions spanning IPOs, secondary fund-raisings and M&A across the UK, Europe, Israel and the USA.
Most recently, Walker was executive director in corporate finance at Nomura Code Securities, a boutique investment banking firm he co-founded. He was responsible for deal origination and execution and was instrumental in the business being ranked the top biotech broker for three years running. Prior to this, he was a corporate financier at WestLB Panmure and Panmure Gordon after qualifying as a chartered accountant at Price Waterhouse.
This appointment adds to the expertise of Zeus Capital’s healthcare team, following an exceptional two years for the firm. Led by head of healthcare sales Dominic Wilson and director of research Gary Waanders, the business has advised on a number of high profile deals, including the GBP125m IPO of pharmaceutical manufacturer, supplier and service provider Quantum Pharma, the GBP37m IPO and secondary raises for pharmaceutical company 4D Pharma and the $130m sale of drug developer Brabant Pharma to NASDAQ-listed Zogenix.
Most recently, the firm acted as co-manager to Belgium-based bone cell therapy specialists Bone Therapeutics on its EUR105m Euronext Brussels and Euronext Paris IPO – Zeus Capital’s first European listing.
Phil Walker, head of healthcare corporate finance at Zeus Capital, says: “Having worked in investment banking in the healthcare sector for over 15 years, it’s extremely encouraging to see the return of activity and appetite in the public markets for attractive deals. Zeus Capital has been at the forefront of this, and provides me with a great opportunity to help to build Zeus’s healthcare franchise.
“I am delighted to have joined Zeus Capital at such an exciting time and look forward to working alongside Dominic, Gary and the rest of the team to build on this momentum.”
Dominic Wilson, head of healthcare sales at Zeus Capital, says: “We’ve had an outstanding last couple of years, both for the healthcare team at Zeus Capital and the wider firm, and I am pleased to be able to strengthen our team as we look to build for the future.
“Phil has a proven track record, and having worked with Gary and I before, I am confident that he will be able to add value to our existing clients and help to grow Zeus Capital’s presence in the sector.”
