Stout announced that Stephanie Davies and Blake Otté have joined as Co-Heads of Sponsor Coverage in the Investment Banking group. Davies and Otté will provide a dedicated focus to the firm's robust network of premier middle market private equity clients. They will bring the full strength of Stout's industry expertise to bear on behalf of these valued partners as they actively market deal flow and identify key portfolio transaction opportunities.

"Stout has cultivated numerous high-caliber relationships with private equity firms focused on the middle market," said Nick Jachim, Head of the Investment Banking Group. "Stephanie and Blake's astute knowledge of the industry, creative strategic thinking, and commitment to client service helps us to elevate these relationships and initiate new outreach. I'm thrilled to welcome them to the team."

Davies and Otté combine for over 30 years of experience within investment banking and private equity, including mergers, acquisitions, reverse mergers, divestitures, equity and debt financings, special situations and distressed M&A, and business development/deal origination.

Davies built out and led two private equity business development functions previously. Prior to joining Stout, she was the Head of Business Development for Staple Street Capital. Earlier she was the Head of Business Development for Atlantic Street Capital and an Associate in investment banking/merchant banking at Aleutian Capital and Emissary Capital.

Otté previously headed business development and capital markets at AloStar Capital for the Northeast region. Prior to AloStar, she was a Managing Director of Business Development and National Market Strategy at Salus Capital, leading business development in the U.S., and a Vice President of Business Development at Faunus Group International, leading business development for the New York and New England markets. Otté began her career in various roles at Morgan Stanley.

"It's the ideal time to help build out and lead the private equity business development function at Stout," said Davies. "Our goal is to develop and nurture productive, long-term relationships with leading middle market private equity firms around the world."

Otté added, "We're eager to share the Stout growth story and create value as trusted partners with a broader private equity community. Stout is on a great trajectory with a robust backlog of transactions."
 
Davies and Otté are based in Stout's New York office.