Ramping its asset- and mortgage-backed investment banking businesses, Mariner Investment Group, which has been best known for its hedge fund management, recently hired four industry pros to head the new division.
New-hire Robert L. Soifer, who'd been with Bear, Stearns & Co. for 20 years, 10 of which as a managing director in the mortgage-backed securities department, most recently worked at CIBC Oppenheimer and Legg Mason, as mortgage/asset-backed specialist.
Soifer, along with Alexander C. Stetkevych and Christian J Woschenko will trade mortgage and asset-related securities at Mariner.
"Our focus is really going to be on deals that might have fallen through," Soifer said. "We're looking at a lot of distressed asset classes, both performing and non-performing."
Stetkevych came over from Schroders PLC where he managed the mortgage-trading platform. Stetkevych has also worked at Lazard Freres, Kemper Securities Group, and Smith Barney (now Salomon Smith Barney).
Woschenko was a portfolio manager/trader at WM Daugherty & Co. Before that, he was with Nomura Securities International for four years, where he managed the asset-backed and non-agency mortgage-back desk.
The fourth hire, Maria A. Jones will act as mortgage pipeline manager. Jones came over from Walsh Securities, where she was funding manager. Before Walsh, Jones managed the money market portfolio at Carteret Savings Bank.
