HSBC Expands US-Based Global Equities Team

HSBC today announced the following appointments in global equities business in New York: Craig McDonough joins as a senior vice president, international sales trading. He was previously a pan-European sales trader with Kelper Equities, covering U.S. institutional accounts. Prior to that he was a sales trader at Commerzbank Securities, UBS Warburg and Dreyfus Corporation. Amy Giambruno has also been appointed as a senior vice president, international sales trading. She brings to HSBC a broad range of experience in Latin American equities sales trading gained with LPL Financial, UBS Warburg and Barings Securities. Alexander Huff also joins the U.S. equities team as a senior vice president and Asian equities trader. Huff has extensive Asian equities trading experience, most recently with JP Morgan Securities where he was an Asian/Japanese equities trader. Previously, he worked at Goldman Sachs. These new positions report to Alex Shepard, head of equities sales trading in New York. Jamal Pesaran has been appointed vice president, Asian equity derivatives sales. He joins HSBC from Lehman Brothers where he worked in equity derivatives sales. He previously held similar roles at UBA Investment Bank, Stafford Trading Europe, Goldman Sachs and Barclays de Zoete Wedd (BZW). Pesaran reports to Stephen Matthews, Head of Asia equity sales in New York. "These appointments enhance the depth and breadth of our global equities offering for US-based institutional investors,” said Thomas Del Zoppo, head of equities, Americas. "Their wide-ranging expertise, detailed knowledge of regional equities markets and strong client relationships will further strengthen our global equities sales and trading capabilities in New York”. "HSBC’s global footprint is a core element of our markets business which enables us to deliver a truly global equities sales and trading capability to our clients. We are already active in over 80 equities markets around the world and this is one of the keys to our continuing success in the US,” added Rod Prat, co-head of global markets, Americas. "These new hires add depth to an already strong team.” Notes to editors: HSBC Holdings plc HSBC Holdings plc serves over 125 million customers worldwide through some 10,000 offices in 82 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$1,861 billion at 31 December 2006, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as 'the world's local bank'. HSBC Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets (CIBM) provides tailored financial products and services to major government, corporate and institutional clients. Within client-focused business lines, Global Banking and Global Markets, CIBM offers a full range of capabilities, including foreign exchange, fixed income, equities, derivatives, risk advisory, corporate and investment banking, equity sales and trading, and equity and debt capital markets. For more information on CIBM, please visit www.hsbcnet.com.