Matt Spence Tapped to Lead Defense and Emerging Tech at Lazard

Operating out of San Francisco, Spence brings a background that spans high-level government service and private equity. Before his tenure as Global Head of Venture Capital Banking at Barclays, he held roles at Guggenheim Partners and Andreessen Horowitz. His government experience includes a seven-year stint in national security, featuring a term as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy and a position on the White House National Security Council.

Mark Dolins, who leads Lazard’s Technology Group, noted that Spence offers a rare perspective on dual-use technology that bridges the gap between policy and banking. For his part, Spence intends to leverage Lazard’s platform to guide firms through a landscape currently reshaped by rapid innovation and capital flow. An Oxford and Yale alumnus, Spence also co-founded The Truman National Security Project and maintains membership in the Council on Foreign Relations.