BMO Capital Markets announced Wednesday that it has appointed David Weiss as managing director and head of U.S. Leveraged Finance Distribution and Trading.

The appointment reflects the firm’s focus on growth in the area of U.S. leveraged loans and bonds. Weiss, a 25-year Wall Street veteran, will be responsible for continuing to build BMO Capital Markets’ sales and trading of these products.

Based in New York, Weiss will work closely with Colleen Campbell and Jim Moglia in BMO’s Leveraged Finance and Debt Capital Markets Group.

“Leveraged finance distribution, sales and trading represents a very significant part of our global debt capital markets effort,” said Charlie Piermarini, executive managing director and head of BMO’s Debt Products Group. “Dave’s tremendous industry experience will significantly bolster our rapidly developing pipeline of corporate client business in the U.S.”

Weiss has built and managed high yield and leveraged finance distribution teams throughout his career. During 14 years at JPMorgan Chase & Company, he oversaw the firm’s high yield sales team as a producing manager. Most recently, he was with a New York-based independent firm where he established its high yield sales, trading and research efforts. Weiss is a graduate of the State University of New York.

“Dave represents a critical addition to our team as we increase our focus and expand our capabilities to deliver distribution-driven solutions for clients,” said Bill Butt, executive managing director and global head of investment and corporate banking at BMO Capital Markets.

As debt markets grow more specialized, BMO Capital Markets anticipates that clients will continue to seek knowledgeable partners to help them secure the lowest cost of capital.