Merrill Lynch International chairman moves to Hong Kong

Kevin Watts, the London-based chairman of Merrill Lynch’s international subsidiary, will move permanently to Hong Kong from April.

Watts’ current role is to develop the bank’s client franchise within the Pacific Rim and emerging markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), while managing existing senior client relationships in the UK. In an internal note, the bank said the move would allow him to devote substantially more time to working with clients in the Pacific Rim.

Watts has been in his current post since September 2004. While at Merrill Lynch he has also served as chairman of EMEA and Pacific regions, as well as co-head of investment banking.