Will Hammond quits Deutsche Bank to join Russian group.

Banks will co-brand research as part of new collaboration.

Ratings agency opens new regional office in Dubai.

Al Abdulla joins the Bahrain Financial Exchange.

Settlement group hires head of HSBC Securities Services.

Bank creates new position to strengthen global equities business in key emerging market.

Mark Bailey has been appointed head of EMEA for Bank of America Merrill Lynch's global equity financing and services platform.

Dubai-based Abraaj Capital, the largest private equity company in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA), has appointed Ashok Aram as a managing director after a 15-year career at Deutsche Bank.

Barclays Capital has hired 450 bankers to strengthen its equity business in Europe and Asia since the autumn, as it aims to become a top three player in Europe by 2011. It is 18th in European ECM league tables at present.

On September 1, David Law will join Standard Chartered as the managing director and regional head of the origination and client coverage (OCC) team for the Middle East and North Africa (Mena). Law will report to V. Shankar, member of the Standard Chartered group management committee and group head of origination and client coverage.

Standard Chartered has appointed Tee Choon Hong as managing director, regional head of capital markets for North East Asia. Tee is based in Hong Kong and will report directly to Christian Wait, global head of capital markets.

Christopher Williams, Citigroup's global co-head of FIG, is leaving the bank to become vice-chairman of EMEA investment banking at Credit Suisse.