J.P. Morgan expands venture capital coverage for the healthcare industry with the hiring of Skip Kelly as managing director and relationship executive

The healthcare sector continues to attract record levels of venture funding as early-stage startup companies rise to the forefront of delivering critical innovations. Wall Street giant J.P. Morgan’s goal is to bring value to venture capital (VC) firms that are supporting these startup companies through its global network, industry expertise, and tailored financial solutions.

To support this goal, today, J.P. Morgan announced the hiring of Skip Kelly as managing director and relationship executive on the Venture Capital Coverage team. He was previously the Head of U.S. Life Sciences & Healthcare Credit Solutions at Silicon Valley Bank. Skip will be responsible for deepening the bank’s relationships with VC firms that focus on the healthcare sector and delivering the resources of J.P. Morgan to the VC community at the national level.

“The hiring of Skip Kelly complements the Commercial Bank’s dedicated team of Healthcare bankers—specializing in sectors ranging from life sciences to healthcare IT—to build a full financial ecosystem around the industry,” Chase wrote in an email to Tech Startups.

“It’s never been more important to invest in the future of healthcare,” said Peter Meath, Co-Head of Healthcare for MMBSI. “Skip’s extensive industry experience and the network he’s built over the course of his career will be a tremendous asset to the firm as we continue building a dedicated community around VCs and healthcare companies to fuel our clients’ success at every stage of growth.”

Kelly was previously the Head of U.S. Life Sciences and Healthcare Credit Solutions at Silicon Valley Bank. He brings 17 years of financial services experience with a focus on serving clients in the healthcare industry to J.P. Morgan. In his new role, Kelly will work closely alongside MMBSI’s VC Coverage and Healthcare teams to deliver the full strength of J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking’s network, financial solutions and resources to healthcare VC clients, as well as the high-growth portfolio companies they invest in.

Created in 2019, J.P. Morgan’s Commercial Banking VC Coverage team caters to the unique needs of VC firms in close collaboration with MMBSI’s Healthcare and Technology and Disruptive Commerce bankers that cover the portfolio companies of VC firms. The team also partners across J.P. Morgan’s lines of business to deliver the breadth of the firm’s capabilities across Investment Banking, Private Banking and Asset Management.

JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking is a business of JPMorgan Chase & Co., a leading global financial services firm with assets of $3.2 trillion and operations worldwide. Through its Middle Market Banking & Specialized Industries, Corporate Client Banking & Specialized Industries and Commercial Real Estate businesses, Commercial Banking serves emerging startups to midsize businesses and large corporations as well as government entities, not-for-profit organizations, and commercial real estate investors, developers, and owners. Clients are supported through every stage of growth with specialized industry expertise and tailored financial solutions including credit and financing, treasury and payment services, international banking and more.