Jefferies Group CFO dies from coronavirus complications

Jefferies Group said its long-time chief financial officer Peg Broadbent has died from complications after being infected by the coronavirus, marking one of the first deaths among senior Wall Street executives from the pandemic.

Broadbent had been CFO at the New York financial services company and investment bank since November 2007, following a 16-year career at Morgan Stanley, where he was head of institutional controllers for fixed income, equity and investment banking. He was also a chartered accountant in the UK. “For over a dozen years, Peg has been our CFO and partner, and helped us build Jefferies from less than half its current size, and navigate through hard times and good times,” the company said in a statement Sunday, with CEO Rich Handler saying the team is “heartbroken” by the news.

Jefferies said earlier in the week it’s pivoting its investment banking business to focus on rescue financing and restructurings as the firm helps clients adjust to a world ravaged by the deadly coronavirus.