Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein is looking to hire three asset-backed securities bankers for its New York office. Saad Zein, a director of credit derivatives structuring with Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, says he is a couple of weeks away from making offers for the three ABS bankers. "I am not getting much sleep lately," concedes Zein, who in addition to his credit derivative duties also fills the role of North American securitization chief, left vacant after the recent departure of Jon Bottorff to HSBC (BW, 4/22).
Two of the hires will be senior origination structuring bankers at the managing director or director levels, and one at a v.p. or associate level says Zein. The two senior positions to be filled were left vacant by Victor Mahoney and Chris Dalton. He declined to say whether he is looking to hire someone to replace Bottorff himself.
Zein mentions that the decision regarding who will permanently fill the top U.S. ABS role has not been made yet, and will not be made before the three new staffers come on board. Atul Bajpai, managing director and global head of securitization in London, who will ultimately make this decision, did not return calls.