HONG KONG, March 8 (Reuters) - Siggi Thorkelsson has quit his post as Asian head of equities at Nomura Holdings, as the Japanese brokerage on Monday announced a management shake-up that included a new U.S. chief to drive growth there.
Nomura said Naoki Matsuba will take over as CEO for the Americas to drive its build out in the United States. Matsuba, currently head of global equities, will also continue to manage that business as co-head.
Nomura has been building up in the Americas and the region will play a key role going forward, it said in a statement. It has been on a hiring spree in the U.S., a top official told Reuters in an interview last week.
Nomura named Hiromasa Yamazaki as global markets CEO to oversee operations including equities, fixed income and asset finance globally, moving up from deputy CEO of the unit.
The current global markets CEO, Akira Maruyama, will become deputy president of Nomura Securities with responsibilities for the public sector.
All of the changes will take effect on April 1. Nomura said the changes were part of an annual review of its business conducted each March to put in place for its new fiscal year starting in April.
Thorkelsson told Reuters he resigned on Friday to join another firm, declining to elaborate.
'I will stay in the region,' he said.
A career Lehman banker, Thorkelsson joined Nomura after it picked up the Asian and European businesses of Lehman Brothers in late 2008.
Thorkelsson's departure comes soon after Nomura's co-head of fixed income Thomas Siegmund quit the firm.
Nomura said Rachid Bouzouba, currently head of equities for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), will be co-head of global equities to work on further developing the company's equities business.
The Japanese firm said it would establish a group risk management planning department and also set up a new government affairs and risk advisory group that will be overseen by Shigesuke Kashiwagi, currently CEO for the Americas.
It also named Yasuaki Ogiwara as president and CEO of Nomura Italia and Albert Weng will be appointed as head of the Taipei branch of Nomura International.
Masahiro Goto will move to London from Tokyo to take up the position of co-head of investment banking for EMEA.
(Additional reporting by Steve Slater in London; Editing by Chris Lewis and Sharon Lindores)
((denny.thomas@reuters.com; +852 28436 358; Reuters Messaging: denny.thomas.reuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: NOMURA/ (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
© 2010 AFX News
