[5] Moelis began his career at Drexel Burnham Lambert in 1981 where he would ultimately serve as a managing director working for Michael Milken in the firm's Los Angeles office.
Following the collapse of Drexel, Moelis left with a portion of his team to join Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette where he served as head of its corporate finance investment banking division.
[7][8] Following the acquisition of DLJ by Credit Suisse First Boston in 2000, Moelis was named head of US investment banking of the combined firm in September 2000.
[citation needed] In 1983, Moelis married Julie Lynn Taffet in a Jewish ceremony at the Sephardic Temple in Cedarhurst, New York.
[3] His sister, Cindy S. Moelis, was appointed director of the Presidential Commission on White House Fellows and is married to Robert S. Rivkin who was appointed by President Barack Obama as the 21st General Counsel of the United States Department of Transportation (DOT)[18][19] Moelis funded Yotta Savings, a prize-linked savings account fintech company that was cofounded by his son, Adam.