Armed with nearly a century of Wall Street and global markets experience, a collection of Charleston deal makers has partnered to create Charles Towne Holdings (CT Holdings). Based in Charleston and with offices in Greenville and Atlanta, the firm specializes in debt capital markets, investment banking and strategic advisory services for a wide range of industries.

Helmed by sports industry veteran Andy Brusman, most recently with Alchemy Global Holdings, the firm will help guide middle market companies through private placements, merger and acquisition activities and financial advisory needs. The company also owns Charles Towne Securities, LLC, a FINRA registered broker dealer, where all of the securities related transactions are handled.

“Charleston has emerged as a major economic force in recent years,” said Brusman.

“But what has been missing is a vibrant, globally focused, Charleston-based firm focused on world-class deal making.” He adds: “Our team can do deals anywhere in the world and brings a history of $150 billion in deal volume. We aim to be a game changer for the region.”

Charles Towne Holdings’ management team includes Brusman as Executive Chairman; Mike Sanderson, CEO of Charles Towne Holdings and a 40-year veteran of top firms including Merrill Lynch, Reuters and NASDAQ; and Scott Ilario, CEO of Charles Towne Securities, who previously had regulatory oversight of Wachovia Securities global investment banking activities.

To date, the CT Holdings team counts 17 team members, 14 of whom are senior-level investment bankers with experience in industries such as sports, healthcare, electronics, manufacturing, financial services, payment processing, restaurants, construction and finally veteran owned or led businesses. The firm will also have a dedicated Debt Capital Markets team, focused on raising debt from banks and other specialty, non-bank lenders.

“South Carolina has boasted a vibrant community of attorneys and accountants doing big deals but forced to look out of state for complex investment banking and capital markets expertise,” said Brusman. “We’re here to make sure they can find deal partners in their own back yard.”

John Hagerty, a Nelson Mullins corporate attorney and chairman-elect of the Charleston Regional Development Alliance, concurs: “For the first time in our history, we are creating products in this region that are not agricultural, and we are sending them off to the world. We are attracting big companies, major industries and their necessary supportive companies that can be well-served by firms like Charles Towne Holdings, who can provide the required deal expertise to help companies involved in an M & A event or raising capital.”

CT Holdings is already engaged on several private placement and M & A assignments. To learn more, visit: www.charlestowneholdings.com.