Citizens Bank has tapped a former GE Capital banker as its new head of structured finance in its commercial banking division.

Brent Hazzard will now head up Citizens’ Structured Finance Group, which is focused on establishing, building and maintaining relationships with senior leaders at large and mid-tier investment banks, distressed-focus private equity funds and other intermediaries to source senior secured financing opportunities greater than $20 million. The team’s experience with lead-left financings would support mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations, debtor-in-possession, plan-of-reorganization and out-of-court transactions, the bank said in a recent announcement.

“Brent is a very experienced banker who delivers value-added ideas and terrific service to clients,” Bob Rubino, executive vice president at Citizens Commercial Banking, said in a statement. “We are very happy to have him join the Citizens team as we focus on providing the great ideas and execution capabilities that our clients need for every stage in the life cycle of their businesses.”

Previously, Hazzard was a leader in both GE’s restructuring and distressed debt businesses. He also worked as a North American sales leader for GE’s mid-market asset based lending business.

Hazzard is on the International board of trustees of the Turnaround Management Association and is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute. He is also on the adjunct faculty at University of Connecticut’s school of business, where he teaches graduate-level courses on mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and sales leadership.