Oppenheimer Names Eric Nortman Head of Debt Private Placements

Rhea-AI Summary

Oppenheimer (NYSE: OPY) named Eric Nortman Managing Director and Head of Debt Private Placements on March 17, 2026, launching a dedicated Debt Private Placements Group to expand private credit financing solutions for investment banking clients.

Nortman will be based in New York, report to Co-Heads of Investment Banking Rob Lowenthal and Gilbert Dychiao, and work with Fixed Income to execute private debt transactions.

Positive

• Launch of Debt Private Placements Group announced March 17, 2026
• Experienced hire: Eric Nortman with 20+ years in private credit and leveraged finance
• Expanded financing solutions targeting non-dilutive private credit for investment banking clients

Negative

• None.

Key Figures

Current Price: $83.50 52-week Range: $49.26 - $94.10 200-day MA: $73.29 +5 more

8 metrics

Current Price $83.50 Pre-news trading level for OPY

52-week Range $49.26 - $94.10 52-week low and high for OPY

200-day MA $73.29 Long-term moving average, price trading above

Q4 2025 Net Income $74.4M Reported in Q4 2025 earnings release

Q4 2025 Revenue $472.6M Quarterly revenue, +25.9% year-over-year

FY 2025 Net Income $148.4M Full-year 2025 results

FY 2025 Revenue $1.64B Full-year 2025 revenue, +14.4%

Experience More than 20 years Eric Nortman’s experience in private credit and related fields

Market Reality Check

Price: $83.50 Vol: Volume 26,615 is below 20...

low vol

$83.50 Last Close

Volume Volume 26,615 is below 20-day average of 50,502, suggesting a modest reaction pre-news. low

Technical Price 83.50 is trading above 200-day MA at 73.29, reflecting an established uptrend.

Peers on Argus

Peers show mixed moves (e.g., HIVE -2.22%, SWIN +3.80%), indicating OPY’s modest...

Peers show mixed moves (e.g., HIVE -2.22%, SWIN +3.80%), indicating OPY’s modest +1.19% gain is more stock-specific than sector-driven.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Feb 25 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Feb 25	Senior hire	Positive	+3.7%	Appointment of Vien Le as Managing Director in Public Finance group.
Jan 30	Earnings report	Positive	+10.3%	Record Q4 and FY 2025 earnings with strong revenue growth and EPS.
Dec 12	Special dividend	Positive	+0.7%	Declaration of $1.00 per share special dividend funded from cash.
Dec 08	Research hire	Positive	+0.2%	Addition of biotech research MD to strengthen healthcare coverage.
Nov 17	Leadership change	Positive	-4.1%	Appointment of Keith Peterson as Head of Cash Equity Sales and Trading.

Pattern Detected

Recent positive corporate developments and strong earnings have generally seen aligned positive price reactions, with one notable divergence on a senior hire.

Recent Company History

Over the last several months, Oppenheimer has combined strong financial performance with ongoing platform expansion. Record Q4 and full-year 2025 results featured net income of $74.4M for Q4 and $148.4M for FY-2025, alongside revenue of $472.6M and $1.64B, which coincided with a 10.26% 24-hour price move. Management also returned capital via a $1.00 special dividend. Multiple senior hires across equities, biotech research, and public finance have aimed to broaden capabilities, with most such announcements met by mildly positive or stable price reactions.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement expands Oppenheimer’s private credit capabilities by creating a dedicated Debt Pri...

Analysis

This announcement expands Oppenheimer’s private credit capabilities by creating a dedicated Debt Private Placements Group led by an executive with more than 20 years of experience. It follows a series of senior hires and record 2025 financial results, including net income of $148.4M on revenue of $1.64B. Investors may watch how effectively the new group collaborates with Fixed Income and investment banking to translate this platform build-out into deal flow and fee generation.

Key Terms

debt private placements, private credit, debt capital markets, leveraged finance

4 terms

debt private placements financial

"Head of Debt Private Placements"

A debt private placement is when a company borrows money by selling bonds or notes directly to a small group of institutional or accredited investors instead of issuing them on the public market. Think of it as hiring a few private lenders rather than going to a bank or a broad crowd; it can provide faster funding with negotiated terms, and it matters to investors because it changes a company’s debt load, interest costs and financial risk—factors that can affect creditworthiness and share value.

private credit financial

"Private credit executive to lead newly launched debt private placements group"

Private credit is a form of borrowing where companies or organizations obtain loans directly from private lenders rather than traditional banks or financial markets. It often involves customized financing arrangements that are not traded publicly, making it a way for businesses to access funding outside of standard channels. For investors, private credit offers the potential for higher returns, but typically comes with increased risk and less liquidity compared to more conventional investments.

debt capital markets financial

"experience across private credit, debt capital markets, and leveraged finance"

Debt capital markets are the parts of the financial system where companies, governments and institutions raise money by issuing loans, bonds or notes that investors can buy. Investors lend capital in exchange for regular interest payments and eventual repayment of principal, so changes in interest rates, the issuer’s ability to repay, or the amount of new debt offered can directly affect income, risk and the value of holdings—similar to deciding whether to buy someone’s IOU based on how likely they are to pay you back.

leveraged finance financial

"experience across private credit, debt capital markets, and leveraged finance"

Leveraged finance is the use of large amounts of borrowed money, often through high-yield bonds or loans, to fund big moves like buyouts, acquisitions, or major restructuring. It matters to investors because the higher borrowing raises a company’s fixed payments and default risk — similar to a person taking a big mortgage to buy a house — which can amplify both potential returns and losses and influence a firm’s stock and bond safety.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Private credit executive to lead newly launched debt private placements group, expanding financing solutions 
for investment banking clients.

NEW YORK, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. – a leading investment bank, wealth manager and a subsidiary of Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. (NYSE: OPY) – today announced that Eric Nortman has joined the firm as Managing Director, Head of Debt Private Placements.

The move marks an expansion of the firm's financing solutions for its investment banking clients. In this role, Nortman will be based in New York and will report to Rob Lowenthal and Gilbert Dychiao, Co-Heads of Investment Banking at Oppenheimer.

Nortman will lead the Debt Private Placements Group, which will focus on raising capital for Oppenheimer's investment banking clients through the private credit market. He and the team will work closely with the firm's Fixed Income division to execute private debt transactions and deepen relationships with issuers and investors.

"The demand for flexible, non-dilutive, and relationship-driven capital solutions is growing," said Lowenthal, who is also President and Chief Executive Officer of Oppenheimer. "Led by Eric, this dedicated team will partner with our Industry Coverage bankers to deliver tailored financing options and drive more impactful outcomes for clients across the platform."

Nortman brings more than 20 years of experience across private credit, debt capital markets, and leveraged finance. Most recently, he served as Managing Director at Blue Torch Capital, a direct lender and credit investment manager providing transition capital to middle market companies. Prior to Blue Torch, he was at Blackstone in Special Situations, sourcing, structuring, underwriting, and monitoring opportunistic credit investments. He began his principal investing career at Medley Management, a middle market direct lender.

"We were selective in choosing the right leader to build and lead this group because deep knowledge and experience matter in private debt," Dychiao said. "Eric brings expertise in structuring, underwriting, and distributing debt transactions across industry sectors, capital structures, and company lifecycles for both public and private issuers, and we're fortunate to have him on board as we expand the solutions we can deliver to clients."

Nortman started his career in investment banking at BMO Capital Markets, where he held roles across private placements, financial sponsor coverage, and debt capital markets, and served as a founding member of the firm's U.S. Leveraged Finance business.

"I'm honored to join Oppenheimer and to lead the Debt Private Placements Group," Nortman said. "Companies want capital that supports growth without compromising control. We're building a capability that connects clients with sophisticated private debt investors across numerous asset classes along with the execution needed to close complex transactions."

About Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.
Oppenheimer Holdings Inc., through its Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. subsidiary and related entities, provides a full range of wealth management, securities brokerage and investment banking services to high-net-worth individuals, families, corporate executives, businesses and institutions. For more information, please visit oppenheimer.com.

Media Contact:
Michael Dugan
Haven Tower Group LLC
424 317 4852
mdugan@haventower.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oppenheimer-names-eric-nortman-head-of-debt-private-placements-302715589.html

SOURCE Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

FAQ

Who is Eric Nortman and what role did he join at Oppenheimer (OPY) on March 17, 2026?

Eric Nortman joined Oppenheimer as Managing Director and Head of Debt Private Placements. According to Oppenheimer, he will lead the newly launched group to raise private credit for investment banking clients and report to the Co-Heads of Investment Banking.

What will Oppenheimer's new Debt Private Placements Group do for OPY clients?

The group will raise private credit capital and structure non-dilutive financing solutions. According to Oppenheimer, it will partner with Industry Coverage bankers and Fixed Income to execute private debt transactions for issuers and investors.

Where will the Debt Private Placements Group for OPY be based and who will it report to?

The Debt Private Placements Group will be based in New York and report to Rob Lowenthal and Gilbert Dychiao. According to Oppenheimer, Nortman will report to the Co-Heads of Investment Banking while coordinating with Fixed Income.

What experience does Eric Nortman bring to Oppenheimer (OPY)?

Nortman brings over 20 years across private credit, debt capital markets, and leveraged finance. According to Oppenheimer, his background includes roles at Blue Torch Capital, Blackstone Special Situations, Medley Management, and BMO Capital Markets.

How might Oppenheimer's (OPY) new group affect client financing options?

The new group should broaden access to tailored, relationship-driven private debt solutions without equity dilution. According to Oppenheimer, the team will connect clients with sophisticated private debt investors across asset classes and capital structures.

When was Oppenheimer’s appointment of Eric Nortman to head private placements announced (OPY)?

The appointment was announced on March 17, 2026. According to Oppenheimer, the move establishes a Debt Private Placements Group to expand the firm's private credit financing capabilities for clients.