Mizuho also announces Niall McNamara’s appointment as Deputy Head of Sponsor Coverage & Leveraged Finance EMEA
London, 10 October 2025: Mizuho EMEA, part of Mizuho Financial Group, one of the largest financial institutions in the world, today announces the appointment of Waqaas Lone as Head of Sponsor Coverage & Leveraged Finance.
Waqaas started his new role in September, and his appointment is a key milestone in Mizuho’s ongoing commitment to delivering to clients the market-leading Leveraged Finance platform in partnership with Advisory teams globally strengthening its ability to deliver innovative and strategic solutions and financing.
Waqaas was previously Managing Director, Head of Leveraged Finance Capital Markets for Mizuho EMEA, bringing extensive expertise and a successful track record in advising clients on complex capital structures and interacting with the investor community. Prior to his time at Mizuho, Waqaas worked at Morgan Stanley for 16 years in its Leveraged Loan and High Yield Syndicate team.
Further complementing Mizuho’s ambition to grow its Leveraged Finance offering, Niall McNamara has been appointed Deputy Head of Sponsor Coverage & Leveraged Finance EMEA. Since joining Mizuho in 2022, Niall has been instrumental in deepening the bank’s relationships with financial sponsor clients, driving origination efforts that underpin Mizuho’s growth ambitions in the European market.
Slava Slavinskiy, Head of Banking EMEA, said: “I am delighted to announce these appointments and am excited by the expertise, leadership and energy Waqaas and Niall will bring. Sponsors are strategically important players in the EMEA and global financing landscape. Waqaas and Niall’s contributions will be pivotal as we leverage this opportunity and develop this growing element of the Mizuho business”.
Waqaas Lone, on his appointment, added: “It is an absolute privilege to be appointed to lead Mizuho’s growing Sponsor Coverage & Leveraged Finance business. We want to enhance our already best in class execution and distribution capabilities in the market, and I look forward to working with Niall and the team as we drive on to meet that ambition.”
About Mizuho EMEA
Mizuho EMEA provides corporates and institutions in the region with unparalleled access to expertise and Mizuho’s resources globally, and supports clients with their corporate and investment banking, and asset management needs. Headquartered in London and with a strong presence throughout the region, our client base includes leading corporations, financial sponsors, financial institutions and state owned entities. Mizuho is deeply committed to serving client needs, enabling our people to flourish, and helping to improve society and communities where we do business.
Mizuho’s presence in EMEA is an integral part of the Japan-based Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. Mizuho Financial Group is one of the largest financial institutions in the world, offering comprehensive financial and strategic services through its subsidiaries. The group has over 900 offices and 60,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and Asia. As of 31 March 2025, its total assets were US$2 trillion.