The UBS investment banking division has appointed a new head of its mergers and acquisitions business in the Emea region. The banker in question so far has worked with important private banking clients.

Galindo 160UBS named Nestor Paz-Galindo (pictured left) as head of mergers and acquisitions in Europe, Middle East and Africa (Emea), according to a report by «Financial News», which cited sources close to UBS (behind paywall).

Paz-Galindo used to cater for rich clients in private banking. At the investment bank, he replaces Severin Brizay.

Andrea Orcel had charged Brizay to build a European M&A team from scratch – while in his spare time he managed to run a half marathon in North Korea of all places.

Experienced Bankers at to the Front

In May, Brizay, a French national, abruptly joined Bank of America, taking Laurent Dhome, the head of financial sponsors in the same region, along to the U.S. competitor of Switzerland’s largest bank.

Further prominent bankers also departed subsequently: first the investment banking boss for France, Gregoire Haemmerle and also Daniele Apa.

Javier Oficialdegui, the head of the investment bank in Emea, has been promoting experienced bankers as a consequence of the departures. Paz-Galindo for sure is one of them, having worked at J.P. Morgan for two decades before joining UBS in 2016.