Scott free

Having requested a leave of absence, Salomon Smith Barney has given Ferguson some months off, letting one of Asia's most mobile and hard working bankers vacate Cathay Pacific seat 14K and take a well-earned break.Speculation that Ferguson was to join another firm, resign once stock options vest, or retire (again) has been rife for the past couple of weeks. The banker himself, however, will remain under contract at Salomon and is committed to return (probably to Asia) after a global gr…