BTIG has bolstered its fixed income group with the addition of four key hires to its New York fixed income sales team, expanding the firm's coverage in credit, ABS/MBS and emerging markets. The firm has recruited Tim Wilson, John Christenson, Brian Heaton and Ronald Lonergan, a team of Merrill Lynch veterans that most recently worked together at Utendahl.

Steven Starker, co-founder of BTIG, says: "This is the continuation of the fixed income build-out that we began earlier this year and we are continuing to look for further opportunities to expand our group. The team we are bringing on will significantly add to the level of coverage and service we can provide our clients in the fixed income area."

Wilson brings 22 years of experience to BTIG. He spent nearly eight years at Kidder, Peabody before joining Merrill Lynch in 1995 in middle market sales. Wilson is a sales generalist, with an ABS/MBS specialty.

Christenson spent over 23 years at Merrill Lynch. He started on the retail liaison desk before moving to middle market sales and helping to grow that effort into a distinct distribution arm of the institutional sales force. Christenson is a sales generalist, with a credit and emerging market specialty.

Heaton is an MBS specialist, with more than 15 years of experience in the business. He started his career on the government/agency desk at Merrill Lynch before moving to sales.

Lonergan is an 18 year industry veteran, who spent the majority of his career at Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank. He is a credit and structured credit specialist.

BTIG's global fixed income group was launched in February of this year by Jon Bass, formerly of UBS, and John Purcell, formerly of Citigroup (SCI passim). The group focuses on sales and trading of credit products, covering the full credit spectrum from investment grade to distressed debt, as well as emerging markets and mortgages. The firm says it plans further expansion in the areas of high grade corporates, high yield, distressed, emerging markets and ABS/MBS.