Oppenheimer Appoints Chris DeFalco And John Hyland As Co-Heads Of Equity Capital Markets

Peter Bennett to Lead Corporate Executive Services Team

NEW YORK, March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (Oppenheimer), a leading investment bank, wealth manager, and subsidiary of Oppenheimer Holdings Inc., today announced that Managing Directors Chris DeFalco and John Hyland have been named Co-Heads of the firm's Equity Capital Markets Investment Banking group.

In their new roles, they will jointly oversee the strategic direction, execution, and continued growth of Oppenheimer's leading equity capital markets platform, with a focus on deepening Oppenheimer's product expertise across its core industry verticals. Both will also serve on the firm's Investment Banking Commitment Committee.

As part of the transition, Peter Bennett will move from his role as Head of Equity Capital Markets to lead Oppenheimer's Corporate Executive Services team. In that position, he will help strengthen connectivity between Investment Banking and Wealth Management, creating a more coordinated experience for the firm's clients. Bennett has been with Oppenheimer since 2019.

"Chris and John have each earned the trust of clients and colleagues through years of disciplined execution and thoughtful leadership," said Robert Lowenthal, President and CEO of Oppenheimer and Co-Head of Investment Banking. "Together, they bring a powerful combination of sector depth, capital markets experience, and a collaborative approach that will help us extend the strength of our ECM franchise. Peter's move to Corporate Executive Services is equally important. It reflects our ongoing commitment to connecting our investment banking and wealth management capabilities in a way that creates a seamless experience for clients as they transition across teams when their needs evolve."

DeFalco, who joined the firm in 2015, is a Consumer, Healthcare, and Technology growth ECM specialist who has completed more than 285 equity and equity-linked offerings as bookrunner or lead manager. He also led Oppenheimer's SPAC practice, advising growth companies and sponsors pursuing alternative paths to the public markets. DeFalco earned his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University. 

Hyland, who joined Oppenheimer in 2021, has been instrumental in expanding the firm's ECM franchise, particularly across IPOs in Consumer, Financial Institutions, Industrials, and Technology. He brings more than 20 years of capital markets experience, including more than 200 equity offerings in which he served as bookrunner or lead manager. Before joining the firm, Hyland worked at Bank of America, where he focused on equity capital markets transactions, and at Barclays, where he specialized in institutional equity sales. He holds an undergraduate degree from Washington and Lee University and an MBA from NYU's Stern School of Business.

"We are proud to step into this role and continue the trajectory Peter and the team have built," DeFalco and Hyland said. "Our focus will be on delivering consistent execution, maintaining direct and ongoing dialogue with our clients, and expanding the breadth of what we can do for them. By working more closely across the firm, we can support corporate leaders not only at the transaction level but as long-term partners as their businesses grow and their priorities evolve."

About Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., a major subsidiary of Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. (NYSE: OPY), is a leading middle-market investment bank and full-service broker-dealer. The firm provides a broad range of investment banking, securities brokerage and wealth management services to corporations, institutions and high-net-worth individuals.

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SOURCE Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.