A top Bank of America Merrill Lynch IPO banker is leaving to join a fintech company

J.D. Moriarty, Bank of America Merrill Lynch's head of Americas equity capital markets, is joining the fintech company LendingTree as a senior vice president of corporate development, the company announced Friday.

The banker, who led LendingTree's own initial public offering back in 2000, will run business development and strategic acquisitions.

"J.D.'s business acumen and experience in the financial services sector make him the ideal leader to drive continued growth through strategic business development and capitalize on LendingTree's market opportunities," LendingTree CEO Doug Lebda said in a statement.

"I have always enjoyed advising exciting and innovative growth companies, and I am incredibly excited to go all in and fully join the LendingTree team," said Moriarty, who has spent his entire career - more than two decades - with Merrill Lynch, now Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

He will be replaced by the healthcare equity banker Jim Cooney, the FT reports.

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