Whitney hires Thacker to run fixed income practice

Thacker is to lead Whitney's European fixed-income practice. He will report to Simon Hall, who recently became managing director for Whitney in Europe. Chris Harrison, who worked with Thacker at Mantaray, is also to join Whitney as a vice-president.

Thacker's departure from Mantaray Partners, where he was co-managing director, was a blow for the firm, which has built up a reputation for expertise in structured credit products.

The hires mark Whitney's determination to claim a large share of the financial services search market. They are the first since Hall replaced Alastair Campbell, who resigned in May as vice-chairman of the global search firm and managing director in London, after personal differences.

The Whitney Group has offices in London, New York, Boston, Chicago and Hong Kong, and offers expertise across equities, debt, investment banking, private equity and asset management.