CHICAGO Two Merrill Lynch & Co. executives have left the company to form ThinkEquity Partners, a boutique investment firm focused on emerging growth sectors.
ThinkEquity, which opened for business this week, provides brokerage and investment banking services, merger and acquisition advice, private-placement services, and research focused on the knowledge and human capital markets.
There is a huge gap in the marketplace for firms focused on growth sectors, said ThinkEquity co-founder Michael Moe, who resigned a month ago as director of global growth research at Merrill Lynch.
Deborah Quazzo, the other co-founder, ended her tenure as head of global growth investment banking at Merrill Lynch about a week ago, Mr. Moe said. In addition to providing banking and research services, ThinkEquity plans to raise a $100 million private equity fund in the next two months, Mr. Moe said.
Mr. Moe said he plans to maintain an unofficial relationship with Merrill Lynch. ThinkEquity plans to open offices in New York and San Francisco.
