New York – September 21, 2026 -- Lazard, Inc. (NYSE: LAZ) has appointed Matt Spence as Head of Defense Technology and Emerging Technology within its Technology Group, based in San Francisco.
Spence brings a defense-tech banking franchise he built at Barclays
Spence most recently served as Managing Director and Global Head of Venture Capital Banking at Barclays, where he established and led the firm's defense-tech and dual-use technology investment banking practice. He will advise defense, security, and emerging technology companies on M&A transactions and financings at Lazard.
Career spans government, venture capital and banking
Before Barclays, Spence held senior roles at Guggenheim Partners and served as a Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. He spent seven years in senior U.S. national security positions, including as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy and on the White House National Security Council.
Lazard positions the hire as a coverage expansion
"Few bankers can speak to defense and dual-use technology from multiple angles the way Matt can," said Mark Dolins, Head of the Technology Group at Lazard, adding that the appointment strengthens the firm's coverage across defense and emerging technology sectors.
Spence holds a Doctorate in International Relations from Oxford University, a J.D. from Yale Law School, and a B.A. and M.A. in International Policy Studies from Stanford University. He is a cofounder of The Truman National Security Project and a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.