Liquidity Finance LP, a US broker-dealer, has secured the services of financial services specialist Cristiano Leao, who joins the group from BTG Pactual to help spearhead its Latin American (LATAM) capabilities with immediate effect, according to a Liquidity Finance statement.

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Mr. Leao steps into his new role after spending the bulk of his career focusing on the emerging markets (EM) space. He will be based out of the group’s Connecticut branch, where he will report to Dan Mullineaux, the Head of Liquidity Finance’s US business. In his new role at the group, Mr. Leao will maintain a role in overseeing coverage of the US banking sector as well as asset management across LATAM with an emphasis on Brazil.

Mr. Leao joins Liquidity Finance after four years at BTG Pactual as its Executive Director in New York. In addition, he has garnered multiple senior level roles at several leading investment banks, including the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), BNP Paribas, and UBS, among other stops. In each instance, he has specialized in EM, according to information made public on his Linkedin profile.

According to Faisal Mian, founder of Liquidity Finance LLP, in a recent statement on the direction of the company in light of Mr. Leao’s appointment: “Having established a broad footprint for EM product with global fund managers and hedge funds with offices in London, US and Dubai, we see the development of the local EM franchise as a key to our continued growth”.