Oppenheimer Taps PE Veteran Jacobi for Strategic Alternatives Push

NEW YORK, NY – January 21, 2026 – Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. today announced a significant addition to its investment banking division, appointing private markets veteran Michelle Jacobi as a Managing Director in its Global Fund Placement & Advisory Group. While senior hires are common on Wall Street, Jacobi's appointment is a clear strategic signal of Oppenheimer's deepening commitment to the lucrative and increasingly complex alternative assets space.

Based in New York, Jacobi brings over 15 years of specialized experience to a team that has been rapidly expanding its global footprint. Her role will focus on advising alternative investment managers on fundraising and strategic initiatives, a critical function in a market characterized by both fierce competition and shifting investor appetites. The move highlights a broader industry trend where investment banks are seeking highly specialized talent to navigate the nuanced demands of private capital.

A Specialist for a Demanding Market

Jacobi’s background is particularly well-suited for the current market landscape. She joins Oppenheimer from Gatewood Capital Partners, a private equity firm that specializes in the niche but growing field of seeding and providing stakes in emerging alternative asset managers. This experience is invaluable in a climate where new and smaller funds struggle for visibility.

The private capital fundraising environment has become notoriously challenging. Fundraising timelines have stretched significantly, with the average fund taking nearly 16 months to close, as limited partners (LPs) become more selective and consolidate their capital with larger, proven general partners (GPs). Jacobi’s deep expertise in advising emerging managers and navigating the complexities of GP solutions—including seeding and stake investments—directly addresses this pain point.

"Michelle's background across strategic fundraising and GP solutions adds meaningful depth to our platform," said Charles Buisseret and Tanya McHale, Co-Heads of the Global Fund Placement & Advisory Group, in a statement. "She will be an important resource for our clients as they navigate capital raising and execute on long-term strategic initiatives."

Her career path, which includes roles at placement agent Cebile Capital and in leveraged finance at Jefferies Finance and Mizuho Bank, provides her with a holistic view of the capital-raising lifecycle. This diverse skill set allows her to advise clients not just on fundraising tactics, but on the foundational strategic decisions that position a fund for long-term success. For Oppenheimer, her ability to build relationships with the next generation of leading private equity firms is a strategic asset.

Fueling a Fast-Growing Advisory Engine

Jacobi's hire is also a testament to the aggressive growth of the very group she is joining. Oppenheimer's Global Fund Placement & Advisory Group, launched in late 2021, has reportedly doubled in size since its inception in 2022. This rapid expansion underscores the firm's ambition to carve out a significant share of the private capital advisory market.

Operating from key financial hubs in New York, Los Angeles, and London, the group has been methodically building a global client base of private equity firms. The addition of Jacobi is intended to further accelerate this growth, particularly by enhancing the team's distribution capabilities across institutional LPs in the United States. Her appointment strengthens a team that advises clients across the full spectrum of alternative assets, from primary fundraising and secondary market transactions to direct deals and GP stake sales.

"I am excited to join Oppenheimer and continue to work with alternative investment managers on fundraising and strategic advisory initiatives," Jacobi stated. She pointed to the firm's "integrated platform and collaborative culture" as key factors in her decision, noting they are "well-suited to support clients as they scale."

The Power of an Integrated Platform

Oppenheimer's emphasis on an "integrated approach" is central to its strategy. The firm aims to leverage the full breadth of its capabilities, connecting the specialized advice of the Global Fund Placement & Advisory Group with its broader investment banking and asset management platforms. This model is designed to create a one-stop shop for private markets clients, offering seamless service that goes beyond simple fund placement.

This strategy is not new to the firm, which has a long history in the alternatives space. Oppenheimer Asset Management has been involved in creating and managing alternative investments for over four decades, launching its first registered alternative fund in 1999. This deep institutional knowledge provides a strong foundation for its advisory services.

Gilbert Dychiao, Co-Head of Investment Banking at Oppenheimer, commented on this synergy, stating, "Through our integrated approach, we have a well-balanced, senior team across regions that brings a wide range of critical advisory capabilities to serve our leading private markets clients." He added that the advisory group is "uniquely positioned to deliver our services within the alternative assets space" as part of the broader Oppenheimer platform.

This collaborative model allows the firm to offer clients tailor-made solutions, from structuring complex financial instruments to providing access to a wide network of high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional investors served by its wealth management division. Jacobi's role is expected to further weave these threads together, creating more comprehensive and robust client solutions.

Navigating Shifting Tides in Private Capital

Oppenheimer's strategic recruitment comes at a pivotal moment for the private markets. While overall fundraising volume has remained stable, the industry is undergoing significant structural shifts. Capital deployment has recently accelerated, and the dynamic between investors and fund managers is evolving. LPs are no longer content to be passive allocators; many are seeking more direct exposure, leading to a thriving market for secondary transactions and GP stake sales—an area of Jacobi's expertise.

By bringing in a professional with a proven track record in these sophisticated transactions, Oppenheimer is positioning itself to capitalize on this trend. The firm is betting that the future of private capital advisory lies not just in traditional fundraising, but in providing complex, strategic advice that helps both GPs and LPs achieve their goals in a changing market.

Jacobi’s appointment is therefore more than just a personnel announcement; it is a calculated move to ensure Oppenheimer is equipped with the right talent to guide its clients through the next phase of the private markets' evolution. Her expertise in supporting emerging managers and structuring GP-level solutions provides the firm with a crucial edge in its quest to become a premier advisor in the alternative asset management industry.