Head of Investment and Corporate Banking
As many have done over the past year and a half, Michal Katz has taken a step back to reevaluate priorities.
Realizing that work can consume every waking moment, Katz said she “embraced a new routine of ‘paying myself first’ by working out first thing in the morning.” That and several other incremental lifestyle changes have helped her maintain balance in difficult times.
She said she’s hopeful that views about what makes a good leader have evolved during this crisis.
“During the pandemic — and in a time of social unrest — the traits that yielded the best results were those that were historically associated with women: empathy, listening and a commitment to creative collaboration,” Katz said. She points to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as an example.
“Looking into the future, we now have a chance—and, some would argue, the responsibility—to change the construct of a strong leader,” she said.
Since becoming head of investment and corporate banking at the $2 trillion-asset Mizuho Americas in November 2019, Katz has been instrumental in helping the company not only survive the pandemic, but lead it through explosive growth in its M&A advisory and leveraged buyout practices.
Revenues were up 30% year over year for the 2020 fiscal year, setting records in market share gains, marquee transactions and revenue growth. Momentum is continuing through the 2021 fiscal year, with capital-raising deals involving the retailer Michaels ($6 billion), Nestlé Waters ($4.3 billion), Verizon Media ($5 billion), Allied Universal ($5.3 billion) and Sempra Infrastructure, among others.
Katz has helped lay the groundwork for this growth by overseeing the introduction of new product lines, creating a blueprint for M&A advisory best practices and spearheading a sustainable finance strategy that helps clients address climate risk and carbon transition.
She has also overhauled management and hiring policies, including establishing on-campus recruitment, focusing on lateral hiring and creating promotion committees made up of bankers with diverse backgrounds. “I’m proud to have promoted three women to managing director and hired another externally — all of whom excel at their role,” she said.
