Aug 19 (Reuters) – Bank of America has appointed Yuta Komori as chair of Asia Pacific Global Industrials Investment Banking (GIG), while naming Meng Gao and Masashi Toda as co-heads of the group, according to an internal memo reviewed by Reuters on Wednesday.
In this new role, Komori will provide guidance to the business and support the development of the firm’s industrials franchise across the region, while continuing to serve as co-head of Japan Investment Banking.
Gao and Toda will drive growth of the industrials business across Asia Pacific, working closely with country, sector, and product partners to strengthen client coverage and connectivity across the firm’s global platform.
The appointments come as Bank of America continues to adjust its investment banking leadership across key markets and sectors, as it seeks to strengthen client coverage and capture a rebound in dealmaking activity globally.
A Bank of America spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.
BofA also hired nine senior bankers across the U.S. to expand its regional investment banking footprint earlier this year, as the lender looks to capture growing demand from middle-market companies.
Komori will report to Peter Guenthardt, head of Asia Pacific GCIB, while Gao and Toda will report to Guenthardt on a regional basis and to Loli Wu and Justin Anstee, co-heads of Global Industrials Investment Banking, on a global basis.
Gao has been a senior member of the company’s China Investment Banking team since joining Bank of America in 2015.
Toda will continue in his current roles as head of Japan Industrials and Natural Resources & Energy Transition Investment Banking, as well as Japan Investment Banking Strategy officer.
(Reporting by Anjali Singh in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Selena Li in Hong Kong; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)
