The latest senior moves in wealth and asset management from across Europe and the UK.

BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas has appointed Sofia Merlo as head of group human resources. For the last eight years she was head of its wealth management business.

Merlo is taking over from Yves Martrenchar, who will become a senior advisor leading a mission alongside the group's general management until May next year, after which he will retire.

Working at the banking group since 1985, Merlo has been in a range of roles. She joined the French private banking arm in 2009 and was made head of French private banking in 2010. Merlo is a member of the board of directors of BNP Paribas Fortis, the board of BMCI in Morocco, and  the board of BNP Paribas Polska in Poland.

Taylor Wessing
Taylor Wessing, the international law firm, has added to its international private wealth sector group, appointing Damian Bloom and Simon Phelps. They joined from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP .

Damian, global co-leader for private clients at BCLP, specialises in UK and international tax and estate planning, with a focus on long-term planning for UK and non-UK domiciled individuals. He also advises individuals and trustees on the UK taxation of investments, as well as all aspects of UK personal taxation, with an emphasis on advising entrepreneurial clients.

Phelps specialises in estate planning, capital and income taxation, and offshore and onshore trusts, particularly for non-UK individuals and families. He has an emphasis on business owners and UK property investment. Increasingly, Phelps’ focus is on advising clients and their family offices, based in the Middle East and Far East, on their UK tax and asset structuring.