WestPark Capital

WestPark Capital

WestPark Capital was founded in 1996 by Richard Rappaport, who continues as Chairman and CEO. The firm was established as a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC, initially focusing on retail and institutional brokerage before expanding into investment banking advisory (public record). The wealth-origin context for its founding capital is not publicly disclosed. The firm's strategy spans public and private capital markets: it underwrites initial public offerings and follow-on equity offerings, arranges private placements under Regulation D, and provides M&A advisory for middle-market companies. Confirmed transactions include acting as sole bookrunner for IPOs such as GlycoMimetics (NASDAQ: GLYC) and lead placement agent for PIPEs across healthcare and technology sectors (per SEC filings, multiple years). Geographic focus is predominantly North America, with specific emphasis on the West Coast and select deals in Europe and Asia through syndicate partnerships (public record). WestPark Capital operates from its Los Angeles headquarters with additional offices in New York and San Francisco. The firm employs roughly 50 professionals across investment banking, sales and trading, and research. While no AUM or assets-under-management figure is public—the firm is not an asset manager in the traditional sense—its deal volume is visible through SEC registration filings and M&A league tables (per public record). There is no publicly known philanthropic foundation or adjacent vehicle formally tied to the firm. WestPark's structural differentiator lies in its hybrid registration: it operates as both a FINRA-registered broker-dealer and an RIA, allowing it to execute public underwritings and private placements under the same roof. This dual capability is relatively uncommon among boutiques of its size, and it lets client companies graduate from private funding to public listing without switching intermediaries. Succession structure has not been publicly detailed, but Rappaport remains the sole CEO since inception.