Senior M&A bankers will have BAML's big hiring plans to thank for any increase in their bonuses

In a seeming example of serious premature revelation, Bank of America Merrill Lynch has divulged its intention of doing lots of senior M&A hiring this year.

According to Christian Meissner, quoted on Bloomberg today, it wants to recruit as many as 30 managing directors in EMEA during 2011 after slipping from 4th to 11th in the league tables.

"The first priority is clearly rebuilding the talent base," Meissner declared.

This may be so, but Meissner's declaration, just before bonuses are paid, may also encourage rival banks to think twice about underpaying their M&A bankers for fear they'll be poached by BAML.

Citigroup is also expected to engage in senior M&A hiring this year after lots of its senior bankers left in 2010.

One senior M&A headhunter said BAML will struggle to find 30 senior people in Europe, "of the right calibre."

Meissner's preferred hunting ground is likely to remain Nomura, which we disclosed he was departing from last year, and from which BAML has since poached various others, including Adrian Mee. Nomura doesn't pay bonuses until April, but isn't expected to be particularly lavish, so its people may not stick around.

Also at risk of haemorrhaging M&A bankers is thought to be UBS, which has added a lot of headcount (including 44 MDs and EDs in investment banking) and can't really afford itself.

The good news for any talented yet underpaid M&A MDs, is that BAML is now offering them a clear alternative and creating an incentive for their existing employers to pay up.

From Meissner's perspective, however, he would surely have done better to keep quiet about his aspirations until after payday - and to pick off the disaffected more cheaply then.