Merrill enlists Kissel to expand leveraged finance business

Rob Kissel has joined Merrill Lynch as managing director and head of the distressed corporate products group for Asia Pacific (excluding Japan). He will report to Boris Ehsani, managing director and head of corporate distressed products, Pacific Rim.

Kissel was most recently with Goldman Sachs, where he was co-head of the corporate distressed team of the Asian Special Situations Group (excluding Japan). Earlier, he was a vice-president in the high-yield research group at Lazard Freres.

"Rob brings a significant amount of experience and insight, and proven leadership capabilities to the position," says Richard Huston, managing director and regional head of Pacific Rim debt markets.

Adds Keith Horn, managing director and co-head of global leveraged finance: "In addition to furthering our overall effort in the Asia-Pacific region, having Rob join us will serve to enhance our strategy to globalize this business and build our leveraged finance platform around the world."