Merrill Lynch continues with forex hires

Merrill Lynch has continued its forex hiring spree with the hire of Rabobank’s former global forex head, Michele di Stefano.

Di Stefano, who will join Merrill as head of European forex investor sales, based in London, will report to head of global investor sales, Gregg Chow, and co-head of the forex issuer client group, Rob Catalanello - both at Merrill in New York. Chow and Catalanello are also both recent hires, having joined the bank earlier this year.

Di Stefano worked at Rabobank between September 1997 and June 1999, when the bank relocated much of its London forex division to Utrecht. He has also worked for Barclays de Zoete Wedd, the former investment banking arm of Barclays Capital.

Michael Garrard, previously a forex sales dealer at Barclays Capital in London, has also joined Merrill Lynch as a director and member of Merrill’s UK funds sales team.

Last month, Merrill Lynch said Garrard was set to join the bank, but could not give further details. Merrill’s spokesperson could not comment on rumours that the bank has also hired forex sales dealers Susan Evans in New York and Monica Conti-Dack in London, as well as traders Peter Cooper and Mark Webster, who were both previously at State Street in London.

The spokesperson was also unable to give a current figure for forex hires year-to-date.