Christine Pihl, a former executive director at JPMorgan, will join RBC Capital Markets' municipal finance department as a managing director, RBC said in an announcement Thursday.
Pihl will be based in Seattle, Washington, as the group continues to expand its presence in the northwest. Covering public power issuers and developing RBC's Pacific Northwest business, she will report to managing director Harris Kretsge.
"Christine is a talented and long-time municipal finance professional," Chris Hamel, head of U.S. Municipal Finance for RBC, said in an emailed statement. "Beyond her own client activity, which will encompass a much larger area, we will explore other opportunities specific to the Pacific Northwest."
RBC's public power group led five transactions totaling over $711 million of par value in the last 12 months, and served as a co-manager on 17 transactions totaling in excess of $3 billion of par, the company said. Some of the larger transactions include two deals with Jacksonville, Florida Electric Authority totaling $144 million, as well as a $277 million senior managed-deal with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Pihl most recently served as an executive director at JPMorgan's Seattle office, which she opened in 2006. She left the position three months ago. Prior to that, she founded two of the city's leading financial advisory firms in public power, RBC said.
"Christine brings significant market experience and knowledge of the public power sector and West Coast issuers," Kretsge said in the press release. "We look forward to teaming her up with product experts to further enhance our business in the region."
With a career that began as a municipal finance analyst for Lehman Brothers, Pihl has nearly 30 years of muni experience that includes a role as a financial advisor with PFM Group, during which she launched the company's west coast practice in San Francisco.
Pihl has served as lead banker for large issuers including the Southern California Public Power Authority, Salt River Project, Anaheim Public Utilities, Energy Northwest, Bonneville Power Association, and public utility districts throughout the region including Grant and Snohomish counties in Washington.
