Updates
** Regional lender First Foundation FFWM.N announces retirement of CEO Scott Kavanaugh after ~15 years at the helm
** Former Huntington Bancshares HBAN.O executive Thomas Shafer set to succeed Kavanaugh
** Piper Sandler says Shafer is well-known on the Street and highly respected, given his strong leadership at other banks and ability to fix certain distressed situations
** Brokerage says the appointment could accelerate turnaround process and make FFWM potential sale candidate sooner than previously anticipated, given Shafer's track record
** FFWM, which has a huge portfolio of multi-family real estate loans, had disclosed a $228 million "unexpected" capital raise in July
** Meanwhile, Raymond James says, with the recent capital raise and a plan in place for balance sheet optimization, Kavanaugh leaves the bank well-positioned for Shafer to continue with the turnaround
** Brokerage says Kavanaugh is leaving the bank in capable hands, given Shafer's experience running larger banks and executing on deal
(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru)
((ArasuKannagi.Basil@thomsonreuters.com;))
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