BNP Paribas is looking to hire one or two senior analysts for its high-grade research team. Joe Labriola, head of U.S. investment-grade research, says his team of five senior analysts and three associates still lacks sector expertise in chemicals and paper and forest products. He says the French bank has not had an analyst covering those areas for over a year, because it has not been able to find an acceptable candidate. However, Labriola says he is zeroing in on a couple of prospects, and hopes to make a hire fairly soon. BNP Paribas also has had a hole to fill in the energy and utilities sectors since it released Dan Scotto, former co-head of research with Labriola, last December.
The new hire or hires would follow a recent addition to the French bank's corporate bond research group. Last week, Labriola hired Eli Lapp, a senior analyst from HSBC Securities, to cover telecom, media and entertainment sectors.