Fifth Third Bancorp recently announced that Fifth Third Securities Inc. has hired Michael Ho and Jim Parrino to co-head the Investment Banking group’s buy-side M&A advisory practice that offers clients support and assistance in defining and implementing their acquisition strategy. The buy-side service complements the bank’s continued commitment to its existing merger advisory services for the middle market.

“The addition of a dedicated buy-side M&A advisory capability is core to Fifth Third’s focus on delivering valuable industry, market and strategic advice to our clients,” said Rob Schipper, managing director and head of investment banking for Fifth Third. “Our clients are focused on ways to enhance growth and value and M&A is an important component. Our buy-side M&A team significantly enhances Fifth Third’s One Bank advisory approach to help clients mitigate potential risks and achieve their strategic objectives.”

Ho joins as managing director and co-head of the group’s buy-side M&A advisory practice. In addition to over 30 years of M&A execution experience covering a range of transactions from buy-side to sell-side to M&A strategy for large corporate to middle market clients, Ho combines practitioner expertise with over 20 years as a business school professor. Ho is a professor at the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia. Ho earned degrees in engineering and finance from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) before earning his doctorate from the University of Virginia.

Parrino joins as managing director and co-head of the group’s buy-side M&A advisory practice. Parrino brings a unique set of skills for advising companies on their strategy and execution of buy-side M&A. In addition to his practitioner experience, Parrino is a professor at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business Administration; a certified public accountant; and has over 30 years of operational, strategic and transactional M&A advisory experience. Parrino received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from University of Florida, his master’s in business administration from George Washington and his doctorate in finance from the University of Virginia.

This expansion of M&A advisory and investment banking capabilities represents a significant opportunity for Fifth Third Capital Markets to support clients. In 2016, Fifth Third Securities advised Flash Foods Inc. on its $425 million sale to CST Brands and hired industry veteran Bill Tyson as co-head of Fifth Third Bank Capital Markets.

The addition of these professionals expands Fifth Third’s Investment Banking and M&A group with experience advising a wide range of industry sectors, including consumer and retail; diversified industrials; downstream petroleum; health care; and technology, media and telecom.