ARLINGTON, Va., July 9, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FBR & Co. (Nasdaq:FBRC) ("FBR" or the "Company"), a leading investment bank serving the middle market, today announced that Mr. Ajay Asija has joined the firm as a Managing Director in the Company's Financial Institutions group covering Banks & Thrifts. Mr. Asija joins a group of 40 other senior bankers within FBR's Investment Banking department and will be based in the Company's New York office.

"Ajay brings a tremendous network of contacts within the banking industry as well as an outstanding track record of execution for his clients and their transactions," said Ken Slosser, Executive Vice President and Head of Investment Banking. "The financial sector, particularly Banks & Thrifts, has been a historic strength for FBR and we are extremely pleased to have Ajay join our team. His extraordinary work ethic, breadth of transaction experience, and focus on delivering exceptional results for clients make him an outstanding addition to our banking team."

Mr. Asija brings over 15 years of industry experience having begun his career at Lehman Brothers. He has held senior banking positions at J.P. Morgan & Co, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, and Bear Stearns & Co. He comes to FBR having most recently served as Managing Director at Macquarie Capital/Fox-Pitt Kelton in New York. Mr. Asija holds a B.S. in Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi, an M.S. in Engineering from the University of Massachusetts and an M.B.A. from the University of Rochester.

FBR & Co. (Nasdaq:FBRC) provides investment banking, merger and acquisition advisory, institutional brokerage, and research services through its subsidiary FBR Capital Markets & Co. FBR focuses capital and financial expertise on the following industry sectors: consumer; diversified industrials; energy & natural resources; financial institutions; insurance; real estate; and technology, media & telecom. FBR Fund Advisers, Inc., a subsidiary of FBR & Co., provides clients with a range of investment choices through The FBR Funds, a family of mutual funds. FBR is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area with offices throughout the United States. For more information, please visit www.fbr.com.

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CONTACT: Media: Shannon Small 703.469.1190 or ssmall@fbr.com
         Investors:  Bradley J. Wright at 703.312.9678 or fbrir@fbr.com