SMBC Nikko Securities America, a member of SMBC Group, added J.T. Cacciabaudo to the firm as head of the equity execution services group.

In this new role, Cacciabaudo will be responsible for combining and coordinating the marketing of the firm’s Japanese and U.S. equity trading expertise to help further maximize equity commission revenues.

In addition to Cacciabaudo, SMBC Nikko Securities America hired two senior U.S. equity traders earlier this year, with Dominick Tarantino joining and John Twomey joining as executive directors. The group will target both high- and low-touch electronic trading relationships for continued growth of the firm’s Japanese equity liquidity pool with North American clients, as well as the build-out of U.S. liquidity with global clients. The team also will work closely with equity capital markets to expand the firm’s existing U.S. equity share re-purchase programs and current at-the-market (ATM) offerings with its corporate client base.

“Our senior leadership teams in the Americas and Tokyo head office welcome J.T. to the team and are excited to have him join the firm. We are confident this group, and the team he helps put together, will provide additional value to our clients and to SMBC Group shareholders,” Masahito Nonaka, deputy president of SMBC Nikko Securities America, said.

“J.T. brings extensive experience in cultivating a broad base of client relationships that goes well beyond the traditional long-only asset manager and hedge fund communities. The formation of the equity execution services group and the addition of J.T. demonstrates our commitment to execute on the firm’s strategic expansion plans and provide high-quality service to our growing mix of institutional and corporate clients,” Trevor Hill, global head of equity for SMBC Nikko Securities, said.