Westdeutsche Landesbank has hired Janaka Withana, interest rate derivatives trader at Merrill Lynch in New York, in a similar role for the German bank's New York office. Withana, who started last month at WestLB, will run the mortgage-backed and asset-backed swaps books. He reports to Sean Tully, head of all rates and derivatives trading for the Americas. Calls to Tully were referred to the firm's press office where Sam Ostrow, a spokesman, declined comment.
At Merrill, Withana reported to Barry Whittin, head of interest rate derivatives trading. Withana and Whittin did not return calls.
