RBC Capital Markets has appointed Louis Draper as managing director in its U.S. investment banking technology group.

Draper joins RBC Capital Markets from Raymond James & Associates, where he was a managing director and head of west coast technology and communications investment banking since 2001. Previous to that, he was with Goldman, Sachs’s investment banking services group for more than a decade.

Draper will be based in RBC Capital Markets’ San Francisco office and will work closely with John Brew, head of the firm’s U.S. technology group. “Louis’s broad banking experience, especially his work with emerging growth companies, is a perfect fit with our practice,” said Brew, head of RBC Capital Markets’ technology group. “He will work across sectors within the tech group, as well as deepen our focus on venture capital and private equity relationships.”

“Recognizing the significant opportunity in the technology space now and in the future, we are pleased to have Louis’s wealth of experience in this sector,” said Peter de Vos, head of corporate finance for RBC Capital Markets. “Following on a record year for RBC Capital Markets U.S. investment banking business in 2005, continuing to build our capabilities in the tech space is another important step as we move closer to our goal of being the leading U.S. middle market and emerging growth investment bank.”