RBC Capital Markets, the corporate and investment banking arm of Royal Bank of Canada, has hired Simon Ballard as a director and senior credit strategist in London. 

Ballard will be based in RBC's London office and will report to Roger Appleyard, head of global credit research, RBC Capital Markets.
 
Ballard joins RBC Capital Markets with over 20 years’ market experience, most recently at Creditsights, where he was head of European credit strategy.  Prior to this, he held credit strategist roles at ABN Amro Asset Management, BNP Paribas and Bear Stearns.
 
Appleyard says: “Simon’s hire is part of our plan to build out our global cross asset class research platform. Simon will be focused on credit strategy in the euro and sterling markets, enhancing our existing fixed income research offering.”
 
Over the last 12 months RBC Capital Markets has hired in excess of 400 people throughout its global capital markets operations.