Bank of America Merrill Lynch has named Chris Gammons as the new head of financial sponsors for the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr Gammons, previously the head of the region's financial entrepreneurs group for Citigroup, officially takes over from Doug Speegle, who left in the second quarter of 2009. The head of financial sponsors for Japan, Tim Latimore, has been assuming the role since then.

In his new role, Mr Gammons will be overseeing the bank's private equity client unit. He will report directly to Asia Pacific co-heads of corporate and investment banking Jayanti Bajpai and Jiro Seguchi, as well as head of global financial sponsors Karim Assef.

The begins at his new post in March 2010.

Bank of America has turned into one of the largest wealth management firms in the world since it took over Merrill Lynch last year, although to date it remains a predominantly domestic US player.