Lazard has branched out into structured credit advisory work for the first time with the hire of team in Europe to cater for growing demand among banks and other financial institutions for balance sheet and capital advice.

Alan Patterson, previously a partner at Amias Berman, a fixed income boutique set up in 2009 by former Citigroup bankers Jeremy Amias and Charlie Berman, has joined Lazard as a managing director to lead the structured credit advisory team.