NEW YORK, April 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Canaccord Genuity Inc. is pleased to announce that Stephen Rusch has joined Canaccord Genuity's Investment Banking team as a Managing Director covering the Consumer & Retail sector.

"I am very pleased to welcome Mr. Rusch to Canaccord Genuity's investment banking team," noted Dan Daviau, President of Canaccord Genuity Inc. (US). "With almost two decades of experience, he will play an important role in growing Canaccord Genuity's coverage and expertise in the Consumer & Retail sector."

Mr. Rusch will be based in New York and will work on a broad range of assignments, including public offerings, private placements, and mergers and acquisitions advisory work. Steve will spend the majority of his time strengthening Canaccord Genuity's banking effort in the Health, Wellness and Lifestyle segment of the consumer industry with a particular focus on growing food and beverage companies.

Mr. Rusch joins Canaccord Genuity from Piper Jaffray & Co. where he was Managing Director, Co-Head of the Consumer Food & Beverage group. Prior to Piper Jaffray, Stephen spent seven years at the M&A advisory boutique, Sagent Advisors. He has also held investment banking roles at Merrill Lynch & Co. and Lehman Brothers. Stephen graduated from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.

ABOUT CANACCORD GENUITY:

Canaccord Genuity is the global capital markets division of Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. (TSX: CF, LSE: CF.), offering institutional and corporate clients idea-driven investment banking, merger and acquisition, research, sales and trading services from offices in 11 countries worldwide. Our team of nearly 1,000 capital markets and advisory professionals has industry and transactional expertise in 18 key sectors of the global economy. We are committed to providing valued services to our clients throughout the entire lifecycle of their business and operating as a gold standard independent investment bank - expansive in resources and reach, but targeted in industry expertise, market focus and individual client attention.

More information is available at www.canaccordgenuity.com.

ABOUT CANACCORD GENUITY GROUP INC.:

Through its principal subsidiaries, Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. (the "Company") is a leading independent, full-service financial services firm, with operations in two principal segments of the securities industry: wealth management and capital markets. Since its establishment in 1950, the Company has been driven by an unwavering commitment to building lasting client relationships. We achieve this by generating value for our individual, institutional and corporate clients through comprehensive investment solutions, brokerage services and investment banking services. The Company has offices in 11 countries worldwide, including Wealth Management offices located in Canada, Australia, the UK and Europe. Canaccord Genuity, the international capital markets division, operates in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Ireland, Hong Kong, mainland China, Singapore, Australia and Barbados. To us there are no foreign markets.™

Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. is publicly traded under the symbol CF on the TSX and the symbol CF. on the London Stock Exchange.

SOURCE Canaccord Financial Inc.