David Schamis, formerly a managing director at JC Flowers, a private equity firm that invests in financial services firms, has joined Atlas as a founding partner.
At Atlas, which was founded in 2013 by Bob Diamond, Schamis will oversee the firm’s private equity investing.
“David is a financial services powerhouse and a consummate dealmaker,” says Diamond. “He brings to Atlas over 13 years of private equity experience at J.C. Flowers and, from his time at Salomon Brothers, has been known as one of a small handful of bankers that other bankers want as their banker. He will be an enormous asset to Atlas as we pursue investments that have become available due to dislocations in the financial services industry worldwide.”
Schamis says: “For nearly 15 years, I have had the privilege of working with Chris Flowers, one of the sharpest minds in the financial services investing sector. I have tremendous respect for all he has accomplished and appreciate the opportunities I have had working with him. As I look to my future, the opportunity to work with Bob Diamond as a founding partner in this new venture is too compelling to pass up. Bob is one of the world’s most accomplished bankers and his track record in building and selling Barclays Global Investors, and in buying Lehman during the financial crisis – two of Barclays’ most successful transactions ever – is legendary. The opportunities in global financial services are significant and I am excited about my next chapter with Atlas.”
Schamis joined JC Flowers in May 2000. Prior to that, he worked in Salomon Brothers’ (now Citigroup’s) financial institutions investment banking group. He has served on multiple financial institution boards, including as chairman of Ascensus Retirement Services (formerly Crump Group) and Fox-Pitt Kelton.
