This new role will see Jones provide corporate finance services to a group of clients that will include asset management companies, non-bank financials and stock exchanges. The new role plays to Jones' background as a FIG (financial institutions group) banker, and will see his group at JPMorgan offering, for example, M&A advice to European asset managers that are looking to merge.
Jones was transferred to Asia at the time of the Asian financial crisis to become the firmÆs head of debt capital markets. He had previously been head of European FIG debt capital markets. This expertise led to his pioneering work on the landmark bank capital deal for Hanvit Bank (now part of KoreaÆs Woori Financial). This JPMorgan-led deal was the first non-investment grade subordinated debt deal in the world û and was soon to be replicated in Latin America and Russia.
Under Jones' stewardship, JPMorgan won FinanceAsiaÆs International Bond House of the Year in 2000 and 2001. After the merger between Chase and JPMorgan, Jones was also given responsibilities for managing syndicated finance and derivatives.
In 2005, he became the head of Asian FIG, a role which brought with it his experience in balance sheet management, Basel 2 issues, and bank capital raising. His new role in Europe further builds on these experiences in the financial sector space.
Jones says he has valued his time in Asia greatly. ôIt has been a phenomenal experience to see the good times follow the difficult period that occurred after the crisis,ö he says.
In a bizarre coincidence, Jones' movements are almost perfectly synchronised with those of new JPMorgan Asia boss, Gaby Abdelnour. The latter departed Asia in 1998 û when he was then with Merrill Lynch û just as Jones arrived. Now Abdelnour returns to the region, and ironically, Jones leaves.
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