The Head of the G10 Trading Desk in APAC Robert Ettinger has left Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Finance Magnates has learned. A spokesperson for the bank has confirmed the move and the appointment of his successor Ivan Stamenovic.
After spending over 5 years with the firm, Robert Ettinger is rumored to be joining Singapore headquartered Graticule Asset Management Asia (GAMA), which is an asset management company founded by Adam Levinson back in 2014. The company has a global presence with offices in Singapore, New York, San Francisco and London.
Since 2014, Graticule Asset Management Asia, L.P. is managing Fortress Asia Macro Funds, a division of Fortress Investment Group LLC. Fortress has a non-controlling equity interest in the fund. Back in January 2014, Fortress announced the launch of an affiliated manager platform with the Fortress Asia Macro Funds expected to become the new platform's anchor fund.
Ettinger was previously heading the company's G10 options desk in New York and has been a noted by the WSJ as a proponent of the big bearish Japanese yen trade after the election of current Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe back in 2012.
The successor of Ettinger, Ivan Stamenovic is taking on his new role as Head of APAC G10 Trading as a complimentary position as Head of the Exotic Options desk. Stamenovic is a Bank of America Merrill Lynch veteran with over 12 years of experience in roles in both New York and Hong Kong. He will continue being based in Hong Kong and will be reporting to the Head of G10 Currencies Denis Manelski, and the co-head of Asia Pacific FICC Jin Su.
