Chicago-based Citadel Investment Group has announced the appointment of Bill King, previously global co-head of securitised products at JPMorgan, as a senior managing director and head of securitised products. He will join Citadel in New York in August.

'This is an unprecedented time in the securitisation markets, and we are committed to putting our firm in the very best position to identify opportunities today and in the future,' says Citadel president and chief executive Ken Griffin. 'Outstanding team members like Bill King and others are critical to our success.'

Says King: 'Citadel's strong track record of innovation and results are well known in the industry. I look forward to helping expand this business and contributing to the firm's continued success.'

After joining JPMorgan in 2000, King was successively head of pass through trading, head of mortgage trading, and co-head of US securitised products before becoming global co-head of securitised products, with trading responsibilities including mortgages, asset-backed securities, collateralised debt obligations and commercial mortgage-backed securities. Previously he traded mortgages at Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette and Merrill Lynch.

Citadel is a global alternative investment manager employing 1,200 professionals in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Bermuda, London, Hong Kong and Tokyo.