UBS Sees M&A Growth In Asia

Merger and acquisitions activity should remain strong into 2007, especially in Japan and Asia, prompting UBS to seek younger staff members who can be trained in M&A practices there.

Piero Novelli, UBS's co-head of global M&A, told The Wall Street Journal that "Japan is a market where we want to expand," and believes its M&A market could be the fastest growing in the world in three to five years. The bank also hopes to break into the Chinese market through its pending acquisition of 20 percent of Beijing Securities Co.

Noveli called UBS's M&A pipeline and its discussions with corporations and private equity funds "very strong," the Journal says.