Barclays Wealth has hired Catherine Blanc into its Investment and Product Office based in London. Ms Blanc joins from HSBC Private Bank, Geneva where she was head of Emerging Markets. In her new role, Ms Blanc will be generating ideas and solutions for client portfolios as well as providing advice direct to clients on asset allocation, the management of bespoke discretionary assets and risk management. Ms Blanc will report into Brian Cordischi, Barclays Wealth's managing director, head of Investment Management. In the past 12 months, Barclays Wealth has been building an Investment and Product Office team with over 100 new hires in investment management, research, structured products, balance sheet, pensions, foreign exchange and product.