Author: Vyacheslav Myronenko
http://www.investgazeta.net/?p=news&news_id=26833
Nick Piazza presents the new Galt & Taggart
Securities team.
It took Galt & Taggart Securities (GTS) CEO Nick Piazza eight months to complete the
formation of his new team. Last December, capital markets tied Mr. Piazza’s appointment
as CEO to the start of a process of reforming the staff at GTS.
“In the coming year and a half, it is most likely that Nick Piazza will form his own
team, one that will be markedly different than the previous one,” the head of a local
investment company told InvestGazeta more than half a year ago. “Mr. Piazza’s approach to
the development of GTS is sharply dissimilar to the position of former management, and
the new team will be completely fresh.”
The new CEO was also aided by the crisis, which affected all of Ukraine’s largest
investment houses. The crisis helped him attract several top-notch specialists from
investment banks that were hit hard by the crisis – in more stable times, attracting
professionals from one investment bank to another was practically impossible.
“Essentially, the crisis allowed me to collect a family under one roof,” joked Nick
Piazza, an American of Italian descent. He succeeded not only in gathering professionals
with a similar view of the market whom he knew personally from the last couple of years,
but in gathering a proven team of star professionals.
Vladimir Nesterenko, with three years of experience under his belt at Concorde Capital,
became the new head of the research department. He invited Aleksandr Paraschiy and Eugen
Dubogryz to join his analytical team. The star-studded research team was filled out with
Eugene Cherviachenko (additionally the firm’s Head of Business Development) and Alexander
Viktorov (also heads up the firm’s trade division, BG Commodities).
“All of our analysts are well known to the investment community and their reputation –
that of individuals with significant experience and knowledge in forming long-term, solid
relationships within the local business community – is extremely important to us as a
public company,” said Nick Piazza.
The brokerage side of the business, headed by Jathan Tucker, formerly of Goldman Sachs,
was strengthened with two new “stars,” Vadym Samar, who heads the Ukrainian sales desk,
and Dmitry Grube.
“We never aimed to create a giant team – our goal was to attract people with similar
ideas, professionals who were ready to take on more responsibility in new positions,”
commented Piazza. “Our professionals have amassed considerable experience during both
bear and bull markets, and are prepared for the realities of today’s market, to create
and provide incomparable products and services.”
Considering the experience of the new Galt & Taggart team, it can be said with some
certainty that management will focus on solidifying its place on the domestic market.
Among the company’s priorities are operations with securities, and a full range of
services for corporate clients.
“Our shareholder base – over 300 leading international investors – allows us to truly
state that we have significant access to global capital markets,” says Piazza.
