Jefferies Gives Out $25 Million Awards to Handler, Friedman (1)

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. gave special stock awards worth about $25 million apiece to Chief Executive Officer Richard Handler and President Brian Friedman, joining rivals in handing out large bonuses to retain key top executives.

The awards, which amount to 871,992 shares, will vest so long as each executive stays with the company for the next five years, Jefferies said Friday in a regulatory filing. After that, the awards will be subject to a three-year holding period.

Richard Handler

Photographer: Peter Foley/Bloomberg

Handler and Friedman have “worked tirelessly to instill in our company a strong entrepreneurial spirit properly tempered with an acutely ...