Investment Banking

Lazard raises minimum deal fee, hires 14 MDs in productivity push

The independent investment bank unveiled a 21% uptick in financial advisory revenue despite an M&A slowdown

Peter Orszag, chief executive of Lazard, said the minimum deal fee for investment bankers had risen in recent months
Peter Orszag, chief executive of Lazard, said the minimum deal fee for investment bankers had risen in recent months Photo: Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images

Lazard has increased the minimum fee for its investment bankers and hired 14 top dealmakers so far this year as the independent firm looks to ramp up productivity after a record jump in advisory revenue.

The investment bank brought in $497m in the second quarter, which was up 21%. The increase in revenue is larger than many of its bigger rivals, as US government policy over tariffs saw many deals iced over the past three months.

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110-Hour Workweeks Drove Young Bankers at a Boutique Firm to the BrinkExternal link

110-Hour Workweeks Drove Young Bankers at a Boutique Firm to the Brink