Centerview Partners, a leading independent investment banking and advisory firm, announced that Sean Carmody has joined the firm's New York office as a Partner in the financial services practice. 

Carmody was most recently the head of Financial Institutions Strategic Advisory at J.P. Morgan. While there, he counseled a range of financial services firms, including banks and thrifts, specialty finance companies, securities/brokerage firms, financial technology players and asset/wealth managers.

"We are thrilled that Sean has joined the firm to advance our work in the financial services sector. His experience advising some of the most important financial institutions in the country, executing some of the most high profile and complex transactions, and creating a wide range of long-term client relationships, makes him a great addition to our firm," said Robert Pruzan, co-founder of Centerview.

Blair Effron, co-founder of Centerview, added: "As one of the top bankers in the financial institutions sector, Sean's experience across the broad spectrum of strategic and financial matters will enable him to have an immediate impact in building and strengthening relationships. Sean's focus on strategic thinking and long-term perspective with clients makes him an ideal Centerview partner."

"I have long admired Centerview for its long-term focused, strategic approach to serving clients. I am excited about the opportunity to partner with its outstanding team to advise companies across their financial and strategic matters," said Carmody.

Since the financial crisis, Carmody has advised Royal Bank of Canada on its $5.4 billion acquisition of City National and its $3.5 billion sale of RBC Bank (USA) to PNC, CIBC on its pending $3.8 billion acquisition of PrivateBancorp, Jefferies on its merger with Leucadia, OneWest on the $2.5 billion sale of mortgage servicing rights to Ocwen, CapitalSource on its $2.3 billion merger with PacWest, Hanmi on its $1.6 billion withdrawn proposal to acquire BBCN, Whitney on its $1.5 billion sale to Hancock and People's United on its pending $402 million acquisition of Suffolk, among others. Earlier in his career, Mr. Carmody participated in a number of landmark transactions, including J.P. Morgan Chase's $1.9 billion acquisition of Washington Mutual and the related $11.5 billion common equity raise, its $1.5 billion acquisition of Bear Stearns and the dissolution of its Paymentech merchant processing joint venture with First Data; and E*TRADE's $2.55 billion recapitalization, among others.  

Centerview has been active in the financial services sector since its founding in 2006 and has advised numerous clients, including GE on its disposition of approximately $200 billion of GE Capital assets, EverBank on its $2.5 billion sale to TIAA-CREF, PHH on the $1.4 billion sale of its fleet management business to Element and Henderson Group on its pending $6 billion merger with Janus Capital Group.

Centerview Partners, based in New York, and with offices in London, Los Angeles, Palo Alto and San Francisco, operates an international investment banking advisory practice specializing in independent advice and other client services capitalizing on the experience of its principals. The firm provides senior-level counsel to both domestic and international clients and its business includes general and M&A advisory as well as restructuring.