Leerink Partners Report November 2024 | Page 6

JEFF GERSON
LEERINK PARTNERS
Leerink ’ s IT infrastructure independent from SVB early on . According to Chief Information Officer Jeff Gerson , this foresight significantly streamlined the transition and helped make the subsequent transformation more seamless and efficient .
Confronting a demerger : How Leerink Partners bounced back Leerink began as an independently owned private company formed by its founders in 1995 . The firm ’ s trajectory shifted in 2019 when it was acquired by SVB in a strategic move to expand into investment banking .
“ SVB didn ’ t have an investment banking arm , so acquiring us allowed them to complete the full lifecycle for our shared clients – helping them grow from early-stage ventures to publicly traded companies ,” Jeff explains . For the first few years postacquisition , Leerink operated with complete independence . However , by 2022 , the tides began to shift as SVB found itself under increasing regulatory scrutiny , which brought new challenges to the partnership .
“ SVB had just been labelled an LFI – Large Financial Institution – in the eyes of the Fed . Suddenly we were being held to the same regulatory standards as our parent company , which was a huge challenge for our smaller , more agile business unit .”
In 2023 , the collapse of SVB triggered an FDIC takeover , followed by its eventual sale to First Citizens Bank , though Leerink was notably excluded from

JEFF GERSON

TITLE : CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
INDUSTRY : TECHNOLOGY LOCATION : UNITED STATES
As Chief Information Officer at Leerink Partners , I lead a dedicated team of 30 + professionals and manage an $ 8 million budget across various domains including IT compliance , application development , engineering , IT operations , end-user support , and cybersecurity . I have the privilege of steering our investment bank through its digital transformation , specifically tailored to meet the unique demands and opportunities within the healthcare and life sciences sectors . My team and I have focused on developing and implementing technologies that not only streamline operations but also enhance our capabilities in delivering exceptional and tailored advisory and investment services to our clients .
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