Kathleen Lauster, CFA, is a Senior Managing Director and Head of Ankura Capital Advisors, an investment bank based in New York. Guiding clients in their capital raising, M&A strategy, financial restructuring, and other special situations, Kathleen leverages her deep financial background and extensive industry relationships to create accelerated access to investment capital and perform value-added capital advisory. She has over 20 years of global financial services experience, working for and advising firms in Europe and the U.S.

Prior to joining Ankura, Kathleen launched Fairfield Capital Advisors, a boutique middle-market investment bank. Previously, Kathleen held roles at Silver Leaf Partners, LLC and Houlihan Lokey, a global investment banking and restructuring firm, in New York and London.

Recently, Kathleen was named to the Board as Treasurer of the American Irish Historical Society, where she looks forward to contributing to its important mission of promoting and preserving the history and culture of the Irish in America.

Kathleen’s mother’s family all hailed from Ireland – County Kerry and County Sligo, and her father’s family has roots in County Clare. She is very proud of her Irish heritage, having studied in Ireland in high school, and more recently worked in Dublin during the financial crisis.