BTIG LLC, a broker dealer focused in institutional trading and related brokerage services, has announced its expansion into fixed income and equity capital markets. The move is seen to allow issuers a variety of solutions across their entire balance sheet and complements BTIG's existing lines of business, while leveraging its distribution platform and the deep experience and relationships of its sales and trading professionals.

"Our strong institutional relationships and distribution capabilities make an expansion into fixed income and equity capital markets the logical next step in our ambitious growth plan," said the firm.

Sean Dougherty, formerly at Morgan Stanley, where he managed a team focused on originating, structuring and investing in leveraged transactions for middle market and large-cap issuers, will lead the fixed income capital markets group. Dougherty began his career in the investment banking division of Bear Stearns and has spent the last ten years investing in and originating leveraged transactions.

While Marc Blazer, who previously launched and built Cantor Fitzgerald's successful investment banking initiative as Global Head of Investment Banking, will head its equity capital markets group. While at Cantor Fitzgerald, Blazer was named one of Investment Dealers' Digest Magazine's 40-under-40, and was instrumental in launching that firm's efforts in shipping, REITs, life sciences, and technology banking and research sectors, as well as emerging markets efforts in India and China.

BTIG co-founder Steven Starker said: "Our strong institutional relationships and distribution capabilities make an expansion into fixed income and equity capital markets the logical next step in our ambitious growth plan," said "Sean and Marc have proven track records building successful capital markets businesses and will be instrumental in the continued development and growth of BTIG."

"There is a tremendous culture of teamwork at BTIG, which allows us to bring comprehensive capital markets solutions to our clients, by working seamlessly across the firm's various groups. We can harness capabilities up and down the capital stack, and provide unique solutions in equities, equity derivatives, high grade and high yield fixed income, and convertibles, in both public and private capital markets," Dougherty said.

Blazer added, "In addition to originating our own deal flow, we expect to offer our global institutional sales platform to advisory firms, which have strong corporate relationships, but lack the distribution and institutional sales capabilities we bring."