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"Jefferies.Jefferies beat off stiff competition from the likes of Daiwa Securities, Barclays, UBS, Baird, Credit Suisse, BlackRock and Mitsubishi UFJ Securities in what was the most popular 'Best Place To Work' poll since the annual competition started in 2004. The firm is the first to have retained its title, topping the poll in 2010 too, and has now won the accolade three times in all. Over the course of the two voting rounds, over 80% of the firm's global employee population voted for their firm. Richard Handler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Jefferies, said: 'I am proud to work at Jefferies and it is a privilege for me to spend my career alongside our 3,098 employee-partners. Thank you for the honor of Jefferies to once again be named The Best Place to Work in the Global Financial Markets. I am confident that with continued hard work on behalf of our clients and shareholders, the best is yet to come'. About Jefferies Established in 1962, Jefferies is a leading global investment banking firm in the U.S., Europe and Asia. The firm is a top advisor and underwriter with multi-industry expertise, a leading provider of securities brokerage services and liquidity with award-winning research and a growing suite of innovative asset management strategies. 1960s - A Foundation in Block Trading The firm began nearly fifty years ago, in true Jefferies fashion, with a solid vision, great determination and an eagerness to fill an unmet need in the marketplace. Institutional investors needed a resource for trading large blocks of stock without impacting the market. They wanted to buy equity securities in size and negotiate prices, while being able to maintain a level of privacy and discretion. Jefferies met that need by leveraging its industry relationships and matching large institutional buyers and sellers naturally, off the exchange, quickly establishing itself as a pioneer of this practice, known as third-market trading, and becoming one of the largest firms in size and trading on the NYSE. 1970s &amp;amp; 1980s - Focus on Small &amp;amp; Mid-cap Securities Over its first three decades, the firm flourished as an equity trading firm, expanding modestly and building on its solid foundation and reputation for client service. Jefferies finely honed its expertise as a block trader and distinguished itself by a focus on best execution and the ability to provide liquidity for securities. Known for its innovative practices and smart and savvy traders with extensive relationships and a keen understanding of clients' needs and the nuances of the markets, the firm was able to attract top talent and an impressive client list. The firm announced its IPO in 1983, and established a European presence in 1984. 1990s - A New Era The 1990s was a significant period of growth and expansion for the firm, when it began diversifying its trading capabilities and launched its investment banking, research and asset management efforts. The firm's equity trading platform continued to thrive, maintaining its position as a leading trader and provider of liquidity. Jefferies continued to expand its capabilities and geographic reach and by 1999, had established a solid foundation upon which to continue building. 2000s - Growth, Diversification &amp;amp; Expansion The 2000s were a pivotal time for Jefferies. The firm continued to diversify and expand its product capabilities and areas of industry expertise. The industry trend of retrenchment and consolidation in investment banking created a void in the market by swallowing up many firms - fueling the firm's momentum. Jefferies invested heavily in its platform, adding valuable talent, and it focused even more intensely on meeting the needs of clients. The firm leveraged its powerful equity, high yield and convertible trading platforms and revamped its research and research sales groups, with a focus on superior analysis, breadth and depth of coverage and providing forward thinking ideas to create value for buy-side clients. Jefferies has significantly expanded its investment banking platform in terms of breadth of industry coverage and full-service product capabilities through a combination of key hires, acquisitions of outstanding specialty firms, and joint ventures with world-class partners. The firm currently has over 3,000 staff, and provides institutions and corporate clients with a broad range of products and services across most major industries globally. Jefferies pairs a client-first approach with a regionally-focused sensibility, and have offices in leading financial centers across North America, Europe and Asia. www.jefferies.com And the Best Place to Work in the global financial markets 2015 is..."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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