Boutique investment bank Berenson & Co., known for advising on mergers and acquisitions, is drawing on its expertise to expand into the public debt markets.

The company has hired two specialists to run its new capital debt markets platform, Vice Chairman Christopher Johnson, and Jack Lucid, managing director. The firm was recently granted government approval to underwrite debt and equity.

Johnson has been involved in several big media deals in recent years. Before joining Berenson, he was head of the restructuring advisory group at Deutsche Bank Securities, Americas, and was also co-head of global media for Deutsche Bank’s Global TMT operating committee.

Johnson led financing for the Local TV purchase of stations from the New York Times Co. and News Corp., parent of The Post. He also advised on financing for the consortium that bought Univision Communications for $13.7 billion.

Lucid was most recently CEO and founding partner at Akarui Capital Partners. Before that he was managing director and head of loan capital markets at Jefferies Finance.