UBS has recruited Jonathan Kessler from Bank of America-Merrill Lynch in a bid to boost its Wealth Management Americas unit, appointing him as the new head of banking and lending solutions.

The appointment of Kessler, who most recently served as chief operating officer of the Banking and Direct Investment Divisions of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, is part of UBS WMA’s aim of becoming the best wealth management firm in the Americas, according to an internal memo.

Kessler will head up the team whose object it is to sell affluent customers more loans and banking products and one of his primary objectives will be to partner with WMA to enable its advisors to provide clients with customized solutions for their liquidity and financing needs.

Along with Kessler, UBS has also appointed Frank Destra, previously responsible for the Ditech Home Loans Business Unit at Goldman Sachs, as head of mortgages in order to enhance UBS Mortgages' expansion efforts.

Furthermore, the firm has selected Donna Batavia-White as head of a newly-combined Client Accounts and Cards group and Fred Jubitz, formerly of American Express, as head of Cards.

“It is essential for our banking platform to become an integral part of our wealth management offering to our advisors and clients,” the memo said.

2010 has seen UBS Americas hire several Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs executives.

UBS Bank US has $26 billion in deposits, in addition to a sizeable portfolio of loans primarily provided to high and ultra high net worth clients.