M&A activity to direct deal flow

An 18-year Merrill Lynch veteran, Kevin Skelton has worked for the firm in New York, London, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne where he has been responsible for domestic and cross-border corporate advisory, equity issues and debt financings. He is now country head and chairman of investment banking in Australia, and here he speaks with FinanceAsia about the firm's strategy for the market. How did Merrill Lynch perform in Australia in 2004? Skelton: 2004 was a banner year for Merri…