James D'Aquila
Managing Director
Jim D’Aquila is a Managing Director and Co-Head of the Consumer, Food and Retail group within Lazard's Private Market Advisory group. He leads the firm’s Consumer and Retail practice and has more than 40 years of experience as an advisor and investor.
Mr. D’Aquila joined Lazard from Rendersi, a boutique, consumer industry-focused financial advisory and investment firm that he co-founded in 2017 to serve founders, entrepreneurs, and private equity clients.
In 2001, Mr. D’Aquila founded and was CEO of The Mercanti Group, an advisory firm which was acquired by Imperial Capital in December 2009. Prior to Mercanti, he worked as Head of the Consumer and Retail Group at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette (DLJ); Head of Investment Banking at Dain Rauscher (RBC); and as a partner at Aurora Capital, a private equity firm formerly known as WSGP. He was also a group head at Drexel Burnham in the 1980s.
Mr. D’Aquila is a board member of several private companies, including Polaroid. He also serves as a Trustee of the International Center of Photography.
He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and is active in many initiatives there.
Our offices in the United States
The United States has been Lazard’s home since the firm was incorporated in New Orleans in July 1848.
For 175 years, Lazard has been an integral part of the American business landscape, providing trusted advice to public and private companies, governments, partnerships and individuals both in the United States and in Canada.
In addition to our global headquarters in New York, Lazard has locations in eight cities across the United States, bringing invaluable local perspective to our work with clients around the nation and all over the world.
