Bill O'Neill quits Merrill Lynch for UBS

Bill O'Neill has quit Merrill Lynch Global Wealth and Investment Management to take up a post with arch rival UBS.

O'Neill, a former Wealth Manager cover star, joins UBS as managing director, head of CIO WM Research UK.

He has over 20 years' experience, most recently as chief Investment officer, EMEA at Merrill Lynch.

Prior to this he had spells at Barclays Wealth and JPMorgan Asset Management.

UBS said in a statement: 'Bill is an important addition to our team and this is an exciting development for the UK business as we focus on growing both our discretionary and advisory investment businesses.'

In his new capacity O'Neill will provide UK research to UBS' global CIO office, along with providing the firm's house view to its client advisors and clients.

At the same time UBS has promoted Caroline Winckles, who joined the firm 10 years ago, to deputise O'Neill.

Meanwhile Tatiana Boroditskaya, who has worked for the investment bank's fixed income research unit since 2008, has been recruited by its wealth management research arm as an emerging markets credit analyst.