Malcolm Hiscock has been appointed global head of corporate finance for ANZ Investment Bank. Based in Melbourne, he will run the bank's units in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, UK and India.

Hiscock has been on sabbatical but previously worked for Merrill Lynch as director of corporate finance in Singapore and head of mergers and acquisitions in Melbourne. While in Singapore, he advised United Overseas Bank on its successful takeover of Overseas Union Bank and also worked on the IPO of the Singapore Stock Exchange.

At ANZ he will be charged with further increasing the bank's advisory capabilities around the globe. "We plan to capitalize on the potential we see in Asia for more M&A and traditional corporate finance activity, particularly in China where there are increasing investment flows and developments in the natural resource sector," says Hiscock.

In the last 12 months, ANZ has been involved in some key transactions in Asia including acting as financial adviser to Comfort Group and Delgro Corp in its S$1.6 billion merger, and advising AES Corporation on the sale of two business units in Bangladesh to CDC Globaleq. In Australia, ANZ was the financial advisor to InterGen in the sell down of 50% of its Australian assets to China Huaneng Power.

"From a sector perspective we will be further expanding our existing industry expertise in utilities and infrastructure, natural resources, and food, beverages and agribusiness," he says.

Hiscock will report to Peter Hodgson, ANZ's managing director of corporate financing and advisory.