Fitch Ratings has hired Charles Kassouf, associate director, as a collateralized debt obligation analyst for its New York office. David Howard, managing director, who heads the CDO group for the rating agency, says Kassouf will cover cash-funded high-yield CDOs. He started last week and reports to Beth Russotto, director, who overseas cash-funded CDOs, market value CDOs and middle-market collateralized loan obligations.
Russotto says the newly created position reflects the growing deal flow of CDOs. Prior to joining Fitch Ratings, Kassouf worked as a structurer for First Albany in New York. He was in charge of tobacco securitization within the public banking group. Kassouf would not disclose to whom he used to report nor the reasons for his move from a banking to a credit rating analyst position.