Trading places

National Australia Bank's head of FX trading in New York has left the bank.

Patrick O'Brien joined NAB New York in May 2005, after 13 years with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), most recently as CBA's chief spot FX dealer responsible for the New York and Asia desks based in Sydney (FX Week, May 9, 2005). O'Brien left NAB in mid-October.

He is rumoured to be moving to Calyon under David Hannigan, with whom he previously worked at NAB. Calyon did not respond by press time.

HotspotFX has hired Michael Williams as the new CEO, replacing John Eley who left the multibank portal unexpectedly in August (FX Week, August 14).

Williams has previously worked in several hedge fund brokerage firms. His last position was with financial services firm Sand Spring Partners, which he formed. Prior to Sand Spring Partners, he founded and managed Cover Asset Management, a hedge fund trading FX.

Williams has also served on the US Federal Reserve foreign exchange committee, and has over 30 years' experience in FX and fixed income.

Iain Doran, programme manager in prime brokerage and hedge fund services at JP Morgan in London, has left the bank. It is understood that he will not be replaced. Meanwhile, JP Morgan analyst John Chambers has reportedly left to join Barcap. His new position at Barcap is thought to be in large UK corporate sales. Neither bank responded by press time.

Calyon has transferred senior spot trader Jonathan Dayer-Smith from London to Hong Kong. Dayer-Smith will be reporting to chief dealer Stephen Stone, who started at Calyon HK last week.

Ben Singleton, senior dealer, also started at Calyon HK last week. Both Stone and Singleton came from BoA (FX Week, July 31).

Meanwhile, it is understood that FX options trader Peter Billington is leaving Calyon to trade commodities at Dresdner. Billington previously worked at Credit Agricole Indosuez and Standard Chartered in London. Neither Calyon nor Dresdner responded to confirm by press time.

Société Générale's Corporate and Investment Banking (SGCIB) has seen the departure of Roman Stauss, from FX sales in London. Stauss was covering sales to German and Austrian corporate clients.

Stauss joined SGCIB in 2004 (FX Week, July 5, 2004) and reported to Frédéric Jeanperrin, European head of corporate FX sales. SGCIB confirmed Stauss's departure, but his next move is unknown.

Fortis Bank UK has hired Irena Marty as director of global markets. Marty, formerly head of structuring at Lloyds TSB in London, started at the bank on September 1 and reports to Tanguy Cruysmans, head of global markets UK. Marty's hire is part of plans to expand the bank's structured products and derivatives capabilities. She will initially focus on interest rates and FX.

Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets has hired Katie Parker as an associate director of foreign exchange solutions in London. She will focus on selling foreign exchange and structured products to the telecommunications, media, technology and leisure sectors.

Parker joins from ANZ, where she was the deputy head of European corporate sales.

It is understood FXMarketSpace has added Reny Morsch-Zlatkovic to its sales team in London. Morsch-Zlatkovic was previously at the Eurex derivatives exchange, working in FX derivatives sales.

FXMarketSpace did not confirm the hire.

Morgan Stanley has lost London-based FX investment banking sales person, Julia Raiskin. It is understood she has joined JP Morgan.

At Morgan Stanley, Raiskin's role focused on providing FX derivatives solutions to investment banking clients. It is thought she will have a similar position with JP Morgan.

Neither bank confirmed the move.

Richard Leighton has been appointed global head of FX at Standard Chartered in London, in an internal move. His previous position was head of FX options, which will be incorporated into his new role.

Leighton replaces Nick Beecroft, who moves into a senior banking role managing European hedge funds and the bank's key UK client relationships.

Leighton's new role gives him responsibility for FX spot and options, and product development. He reports to Mike Bass, global head of FX and rates.