AXIA Ventures Group, the pioneering fast-expanding Investment Banking firm, is pleased to announce that its subsidiary AXIA Capital Markets LLC, has received approval for membership with FINRA enabling it to launch its services as a US registered broker dealer. In addition, it has substantially enhanced its operations in the transportation sector by adding a seasoned industry veteran to head up its research efforts in the shipping industry.
AXIA plans on leveraging its long standing relationships with the shipping community and its strong ties with US investors, in order to bridge the two in an industry that has traditionally been financed by banking institutions. The involvement of US based investors in shipping is a development that will strengthen the engagement between the US capital markets and the sector.
To that end, AXIA is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Perri as a Director of Research to build the shipping research practice of ACM. Perri has over 8 years of experience in the industry, most recently having served as CFO at two US listed companies, Paragon Shipping Inc., and Box Ships Inc. Prior to joining the industry, Perri worked as an equity research analyst for 12 years. With an extensive background in shipping and maritime companies, as well as in financial institutions, Robert Perri strengthens the firm’s shipping group, and provides a unique perspective to its research capacity as an industry insider.
Signaling the inauguration of its operations, AXIA Capital Markets LLC. co-managed the public offering of 8.75% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares on behalf of Tsakos Energy Navigation Limited, the leading crude and product tanker and LNG carrier operator.
Dimitrios Athanasopoulos, Group Managing Director of AXIA, said: "Our new US registered subsidiary and Robert’s arrival, builds upon our long established presence and enables us to add greater value to the service we offer to our clients. With investment banking at the heart of our business, we are more than excited to enhance our services in the promising shipping sector in the US and we are equally pleased that Robert Perri will embark on this journey with us.”
Robert Perri, Director of Research of AXIA Capital Markets LLC., stated: “I’m truly excited to get back to my roots in analysis and capitalize my knowledge in shipping. To me this represents a unique occasion to utilize my experience through whole new lenses, so I’m enthusiastically embracing the opportunity the AXIA family gave me. I firmly believe that a bright and constructive future lies ahead of us.”
