Deals Veteran Ken Moelis Sees World ‘Getting Better Every Day’

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(Bloomberg) — Ken Moelis, the veteran Wall Street dealmaker, predicted a golden era of prosperity across the globe, shrugging off tariff uncertainty and wars in the Middle East.

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“The world is getting better every day,” Moelis said in an interview on Bloomberg Television Wednesday, citing increased government spending in Europe along with opportunities in the UK and even potentially Iran. “If you keep your eyes on the long term, I’m very optimistic. The problem with the world today is pessimists get the headlines. Everybody trying to point out everything negative that can happen.” 

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The Moelis & Co. founder announced earlier this month that he is stepping down as chief executive officer from October, having set up the New York-based firm in 2007 after stints at Drexel, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and UBS Group AG. Co-President Navid Mahmoodzadegan will become CEO and join the bank’s board. 

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Moelis described himself as “very bullish” on Europe, where he predicted a surge in economic growth fueled by government spending. The region should be heading into a “five-year fantastic period” as it responds to the election of Donald Trump as US president, he said. 

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“The provocation of the US election might have actually caused some things in Europe to accelerate growth,” said Moelis. “Lower regulations, lower energy prices, European growth. If you take your eyes off the day to day warnings and get out of your Twitter account, you’ll see that this is going to be a good year.” 

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In London, Moelis said his firm could ramp up hiring 50% over the next few years. The UK has been “very down” but has also been “undervalued,” he said. 

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Moelis, known for having one of Wall Street’s best rolodexes, made one of his most successful bets on the Middle East. His stalwart presence in the Gulf — including shows of support for Saudi Arabia’s government in the aftermath of the 2018 killing of government critic Jamal Khashoggi when rivals pulled back — helped secure the New York firm’s position as one of the region’s go-to advisers.

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The region is on edge amid a tentative ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Oil prices have whipsawed in response to the conflict, surging from a year-to-date low in May and then tumbling in recent days. 

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Moelis characterized the turbulence in the region as “an opportunity for one of the most optimistic changes that we’ve had in the region for a long time.” He highlighted opportunities such as the potential impact of unlocking Iranian oil reserves and opening up the country’s labor market.

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“All I hear about is what if the peace doesn’t hold,” said Moelis. “I haven’t heard one person say ‘what if the 90 million population of highly educated motivated Iranians come into the market?’” 

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