Merrill nabs Goldman Sachs risk management group staff

Merrill Lynch has hired four ex-Goldman Sachs bankers for its corporate risk management group focused on Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Roberto Centeno was hired as a director with responsibility for Iberia. Andrea Anselmetti and Luca Pietrangeli, both directors, and Ernesto Mercadente, an associate, will focus on expanding the corporate risk management and foreign exchange business in the Italian region.

The corporate risk management group focuses on providing advice and execution for corporate clients, covering all risk management issues, including foreign exchange, interest rate risk and credit risk. All four will report to Patrick Bauné, co-head of Merrill Lynch's global foreign exchange issuer client group, and Damian Chunilal, head of the EMEA issuer client group, and are expected to join within the next two weeks.

In addition, Merrill Lynch has hired Scott Giardina as a director in credit derivatives trading, based in London. He will report to Jon Pliner, managing director of credit trading EMEA, and Neil Walker, managing director of structured credit trading, EMEA. Giardina also joins from Goldman Sachs.