Michael J Burr

Mike leads the Central Region for East West Bank and has 30+ years of investment and commercial experience. He joined East West Bank in early 2018 to develop a corporate banking approach for Texas and the Central Region of the U.S. The Central Region encompasses offices in Dallas, Houston, Austin, Chicago and Atlanta.

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Prior to his current role at East West Bank, Mike was the Head of M&A for Firth Third Securities (2014 – 2018) which was a result of the bank’s purchase of Challenger Capital. While with Fifth Third and throughout his investment banking career, Mike had a specific focus within the private equity/family office segment, with specific industry emphasis with industrial, distribution, business services, financial services, and real estate industry sectors.

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Before joining Fifth Third, Mike served as President of Challenger Capital Group (2007 – 2014) a financial advisory firm for middle market companies headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with a Chicago office. Mike was responsible for leading the firm’s investment banking and advisory business, establishing and enhancing the firm’s compliance procedures, marketing and developing opportunities and leading the execution of all transactions. This firm was ultimately sold to Fifth Third securities in 2014.

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Before joining Challenger, Mike was Managing Director & Group Head of Mid-Corporate Investment Banking at JPMorgan Securities Inc. (2000 – 2007). Mike led the firm’s investment banking coverage for the bank’s Mid-Corporate Group, which covered the majority of the U.S. and Canada. JPMorgan’s Mid-Corporate Group represented the firm’s national investment banking coverage for its middle market clients. The bank’s middle market investment banking model was developed under Mike’s leadership within the Southwest region of the U.S. and ultimately, expanded nationally. Prior this role, Mike held multiple Investment Banking and Commercial Banking roles with JPMorgan and it’s predecessor organization(s) (1986 – 2000). 

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Currently, Mike is an advisory board member of Belle Tire (a Michigan-based regional tire retailer) and the Price Business School at the University of Oklahoma. He is currently and previously active with several community groups, including those based in Hinsdale, Illinois, Dallas/Fort Worth and Norman, Oklahoma.

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Mike holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance with honors from the University of Oklahoma.

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