Irena joined SG Credit in July 2023 as CFO. Previously, Irena served as a Managing Director in the Fintech & Financial Services Investment Banking group at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a Stifel company, the largest investment bank solely dedicated to financial services. Focused on commercial and consumer specialty finance and lending tech, Irena advised private and public companies on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, equity and debt private placements and public equity offerings. In addition to being a senior member of the Fintech & Financial Services Investment Banking group, Irena co-led the private debt placements practice at KBW helping clients devise an optimal capital structure and raise senior and junior debt.

Prior to joining KBW in 2016, Irena spent nine years in the Financial Services investment banking team at Raymond James and five years at Ernst & Young. Over Irena’s 20+ year career, in collaboration with leadership teams, boards of directors, and investors, Irena has led and closed over 40 transactions with a combined $25B transaction value.

Irena received her M.B.A. from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and her Bachelor of Accounting, summa cum laude, at the University of Mississippi, where she was a member of the Varsity Women’s Tennis team, an NCAA Academic All-American, and a recipient of the Taylor Medal, the highest academic honor bestowed by the university. Irena is a Certified Public Accountant.