July 3 (Reuters) - Investment bank Lazard ( LAZ ) has

hired Bank of America's ( BAC ) Bill Hart to lead their

financial sponsors division's coverage focused on West Coast

clients, a person familiar with the move said on Thursday.

Hart, who has over a decade of working experience with

financial sponsors, will oversee large and mid-cap sponsors at

the investment bank starting this fall season, the person said.

He is currently the managing director for financial sponsors

- private equity firms and other buy-side funds - at Bank of

America's ( BAC ) wealth management and investment division.

The move is in line with Lazard's ( LAZ ) efforts to bulk up their

activity involving buyout firms and alternative asset managers

as it looks to increase its share in private capital.

However, Lazard ( LAZ ) CEO Peter Orszag had warned in his

post-earnings conference call last quarter that economic

uncertainty could keep dealmaking in check.

In 2024, Lazard ( LAZ ) hired Adam Cady from Bank of America ( BAC ) for

North America's large-cap financial sponsor coverage and

Courtney Haydon from Guggenheim Securities for dealmaking

involving private equity firms and alternative asset managers.

The investment bank also hired former Citigroup dealmaker

Ali Syed to cover sovereign wealth funds and pension funds last

year.