Former Merrill Lynch investment head Arofikin returns as hiring picks up

By Ivan Anderzhanov

Andrei Arofikin, the former managing director of Merrill Lynch’s investment banking team in Moscow, has returned to the US investment bank as hiring shows signs of picking up.

Arofikin quit the bank in March 2008 to join the state savings bank Sberbank where he replaced Andrey Trusov who chaired the group’s international relations division.

But Arofikin didn’t stay long at Sberbank and was last heard of working with family members to develop technology to increase the shelf life of fresh juices, according to a report in yesterday’s Vedomosti.

He had worked at Merrill’s in Moscow for two years and had previously been employed by Credit Suisse’s Russian arm from 1995 to 2001.

From 1993 to 1995,  Arofikin was a banker at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and also worked as an adviser  to venture capital firms.

Recruiters say there are signs of investment banks selectively ramping up their hiring for 2010. Renaissance Capital earlier this week reiterated that  it would hire 200 for an investment banking push.

Calyon’s investment banking arm, Cheuvreux, is also hiring two dozen analysts and sales personnel to cover the Russian market from London while other banks in Moscow are believed to be beefing up sales and distribution staff.

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