JPMorgan Veteran Dealmaker Hernan Cristerna to Retire in 2026

Hernan Cristerna, a veteran JPMorgan dealmaker and the bank's executive chairman of global investment banking and M&A, will retire at the end of 2026. The departure after a 30-year tenure was announced in an internal memo seen by Reuters and confirmed by a company spokesperson.

A Career of Landmark Transactions

Cristerna, a Harvard Business School graduate, has advised on numerous industry-shaping deals throughout his career. He was appointed to his current global chairman role in 2020 after serving as co-head of the firm's global M&A business since 2013.

His transaction history includes several multi-billion dollar takeovers, such as:

• The 2008 acquisition of Anheuser-Busch by InBev
• Saudi Aramco's acquisition of SABIC in 2019
• The 2023 merger between Bunge and Viterra

Ad

Leadership Transition

In the memo to employees, Filippo Gori and John Simmons, co-heads of global banking, highlighted Cristerna's contributions. "Hernan has had a lasting impact across the firm, particularly in (Europe, Middle East and Africa), through his leadership and mentorship of many individuals across the firm," they stated.

As a member of JPMorgan's investment banking executive committee, Cristerna's retirement marks a significant transition in the senior leadership of one of Wall Street's most influential advisory teams. His departure represents the exit of a key figure who has guided the bank's M&A strategy for over a decade.