SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., a member of SMBC Group, announced it will invest further in its capital markets platform with Huy Vu, Chris Palmaro, Dennis Farrell and Chris Evans, who will focus on building out the firm’s high yield sales and trading effort.
“We are very excited to welcome Huy, Chris, Dennis and Chris to the firm,” said Bungo Miura, Chairperson and President, SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. “They are seasoned industry professionals with established track records for supporting the needs of institutional clients. We look forward to their contributions.”
Vu joins SMBC Nikko as a Managing Director and Head of High Yield Sales. He spent 15 years at Wells Fargo Securities, delivering in-depth institutional sales coverage in high yield bonds, leveraged loans, private placements, bridge commitments, credit default swaps and distressed debt. He was previously in High Yield Sales and High Yield Syndicate at Citigroup Global Markets.
Palmaro joins SMBC Nikko as a Managing Director and Head of High Yield Trading, where he brings 15 years of experience in high yield sales and trading. He was previously a Director with Wells Fargo Securities, where he was the senior high yield corporate bond trader responsible for multiple sectors, including gaming, lodging, leisure, airlines, hospitality and healthcare. Chris’s career in financial services began with Wachovia Securities, and he has held roles of increasing responsibility at Wells Fargo, from Analyst to Associate to Vice President.
Farrell brings more than two decades of investment banking experience to SMBC Nikko, joining the firm as a Managing Director and Head of Developed Market Credit Analysis in Fixed Income. Dennis was previously with Wells Fargo for 15 years with its Corporate & Investment Banking Group as a Managing Director in Credit Research and Leveraged Finance Desk Specialist roles. While he was at Wells Fargo, his gaming and lodging credit research platform was named to Institutional Investor magazine’s All-American Research Team for 12 years and achieved a No. 2 ranking in the most recent survey. Prior to Wells Fargo, he was with Deutsche Bank’s Securities Sales & Trading, Leveraged Finance Capital Markets, and Research teams for six years.
Evans joins SMBC Nikko as an Executive Director and High Yield Senior Trader, bringing 20 years of experience in investment banking and high yield trading. He spent 16 years at Wells Fargo Securities as a Director of High Yield Trading. Chris began his career with Wachovia Securities and spent four years as an Investment Banking Associate/Analyst in its Industrial Growth Group.