NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., a leading global financial services firm, announced today the expansion of its private securities business with the formation of Cantor Private Markets Group, offering clients alternative investment opportunities including private company stock, private real estate investment trusts, and private equity and hedge fund interests.  Expanding on Cantor’s equities and structured products divisions, the Private Markets Group will focus on servicing the growing institutional demand for securities in the private marketplace. Michael Guzman, Managing Director of the Group, will coordinate the Group and report to Global Head of Equities Jarred Kessler.

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Cantor Private Markets Group streamlines the process for sourcing and selling alternative investments by leveraging the firm’s global network of brokers and traders. Cantor’s expanded platform provides shareholders and companies across a wide spectrum of sectors, ranging from digital media and technology to real estate and life sciences, with broader access to the institutional investment community.

“Without question, Cantor is uniquely positioned to expand our already diverse offering within the private securities marketplace.  With years of experience working with the institutional investment community, our traders are unparalleled in their ability to source and place securities on behalf of our customers, particularly in this challenging financing market,” said Shawn P. Matthews, Chief Executive Officer of Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. “Providing a path to liquidity for private companies and shareholders underscores our commitment to continually serve the needs of our clients across all types of securities.  We believe Cantor will benefit accordingly from our responsiveness to our clients’ interest in this rapidly growing marketplace.”  

Mr. Guzman, who serves as Managing Director of Cantor Private Markets, also continues to serve with Cantor’s Corporate & Venture Services Group. Mr. Guzman previously worked at UBS’ private wealth management division and received a B.A. in English from the University of California at Berkeley.

About Cantor Fitzgerald:

Cantor Fitzgerald, a leading global financial services firm at the forefront of financial and technological innovation, has been a proven and resilient leader for over 65 years. Cantor is continuing to grow its capital markets and investment banking businesses. Serving more than 5,000 institutional clients around the world, Cantor is recognized for its strengths in institutional equity and fixed income sales and trading and for its expanding presence serving the middle market with investment and merchant banking services, prime brokerage, and commercial real estate financing.  Cantor Fitzgerald also is a leader in new businesses and marketplaces including gaming technology, e-commerce, insurance and other ventures. Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. is one of 22 primary dealers authorized to trade U.S. government securities with The Federal Reserve Bank of New York.  Cantor Fitzgerald’s 1,400 employees serve clients through 30 locations, including major financial centers around the world in the Americas, Europe, Asia/Pacific, and the Middle East. For more information please visit www.cantor.com.

Note to Editors:

Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. is the parent entity of Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

SOURCE Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.