Top Goldman Merger Banker Stephan Feldgoise to Retire

One of Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s top U.S. merger bankers is leaving.

Stephan Feldgoise, co-head of Goldman's M&A group in the Americas, is retiring from the firm at age 46, according to people familiar with the matter. He will remain an advisory director, the people said, a title often given to departing Goldman executives who aren't heading to a competitor.

His departure leaves Matt McClure atop the group, which houses one of Goldman's best businesses: advising big U.S. companies on takeovers.

Mr. Feldgoise joined Goldman in 1997 as a banker to energy and power companies. He was named a partner in 2008 and co-head of the Americas M&A business two years ago.

He has worked on deals including Walgreens' takeover of European pharmacy chain Alliance Boots, the merger of utilities Exelon Corp. and Pepco Holdings Inc., and the sale of Western Refining Inc. to Tesoro Corp.

There has been higher-than-usual turnover in Goldman's investment-banking division lately, much of it set off by the departure last year of Goldman's No. 2 executive Gary Cohn to the Trump administration. The group, which includes M&A and capital raising, is Goldman's second-largest by revenue.

It will still be well-tended. Goldman, known for having numerous co-heads in divisions, has two global chiefs of M&A, Michael Carr and Gilberto Pozzi, as well as several vice chairmen in the group, who deal primarily with clients.

Write to Liz Hoffman at liz.hoffman@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 28, 2017 08:59 ET (12:59 GMT)