Christopher Whalen, joins boutique firm Tangent Capital Partners as a senior managing director, based in New York.  Whalen will oversee an investment fund that focuses on small and midsize banks. His job at Tangent will also include restructuring advisory services.the outspoken bank analyst known for his critical industry research, Whalen joins the investment bank after nearly a decade as a managing director of Institutional Risk Analytics, the firm he co-founded.  The outspoken bank analyst has been known for his critical industry research.  He will continue to edit “The Institutional Risk Analyst,” the weekly newsletter that features his lively commentary. The move is a homecoming of sorts for Mr. Whalen, who worked in the fixed-income department of Bear Stearns in London in the 1980s, and later in the firm’s mergers and acquisitions group. Mr. Whalen has also worked for Prudential Securities and Fechtor, Detwiler & Company.  [Dealbook 12/6//11]