Credit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank, R. Seelaus & Co. and Siebert Williams Shank have joined the primary bond market platform operator DirectBooks. The recent additions increase the total number of underwriters live on DirectBooks to 28.
Credit Agricole CIB has a global syndicate presence with operations in New York, London and Paris, and expands the global reach of the DirectBooks underwriting community. The addition of Seelaus and Siebert Williams represents an expansion of diversity firms joining as underwriters. DirectBooks now reports that more than 325 institutional investors are users.
The firm expects to complete a rollout of sovereigns, supranationals and agencies (SSAs) and emerging markets this year, and will launch high yield issuances.
“DirectBooks welcomes Credit Agricole CIB, Seelaus and Siebert Williams as we continue to fulfill our goal of broadening our global community of underwriters,” said DirectBooks CEO, Rich Kerschner. “Through expansion and diversification, we continue to align to our community’s mandate of optimising global financing markets.”
“Credit Agricole CIB is excited to partner with DirectBooks as they transform the primary issuance experience,” said Nicholas Leopardi, head of US debt syndicate at Credit Agricole CIB. “By centralising deal information and streamlining the process, we feel both issuers and investors will benefit from the efficiency.”
“Seelaus is committed to working with our clients on the platforms they want to be on, and is looking forward to joining the dealer community that DirectBooks is dedicated to growing,” said Annie Seelaus, CEO of Seelaus. “The evolution of enhanced new issue communication is proving to be imperative for both underwriters and investors which is why we are excited to be a part of the positive change that DirectBooks has to offer.”
“Offering the standardisation, efficiency and transparency of DirectBooks helps Siebert Williams better support the workflow of our investor clients and issuer clients,” said Matt Fijko, head of syndicate and corporate trading at Siebert Williams Shank. “We are pleased to join DirectBooks and look forward to utilising this innovative technology as we more frequently serve in a bookrunning capacity on corporate debt issuances.”
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