Derivs - People and Markets

BlackRock’s iShares unit has launched two new dividend-focus equity funds, the Emerging Markets Dividend Index Fund and the Asia/Pacific Dividend 30 Index Fund.

Citigroup has been named Sophie Lecoq as head of corporate equity derivatives for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Barclays Capital has appointed Deborah Ho to the new position of head of senior relationship manager for Southeast Asia.

Morgan Stanley is forming a fixed-income group in Mexico as it continues to expand its presence in Latin America.

RBS Investment Bank has reduced its balance sheet by GBP712 billion (USD1.13 trillion) with two thirds of the amount linked to derivatives.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch has hired Richard Gush as ceo of its Merrill Lynch investment-banking unit in South Africa, effective April 20.

Eduardo Mestre has stepped down as head of Evercore Partners’ U.S. investment-banking business, but will retain the title of senior managing director and will focus on client relations.

Morgan Stanley has been retained by BlackRock to be one of its primary brokers for clearing over-the-counter derivatives.

Investec Structured Products has launched the FTSE 100 Six-Year Kick-Out Plan 1, offering two separate counterparty options.

Jimmy Neissa is planning to retire as global head of investment banking at UBS at the end of March.

UBS has appointed Barry Sharkey and Dane Fitzgibbon as co-heads of capital markets for Australia.

Assad Amin, global head of equity execution at the Royal Bank of Scotland in London, has left the firm.