Mercapital appoints

Claudio Aguirre Pemán has joined Mercapital as vice president and member of the board. Aguirre was previously president of Merrill Lynch España where he was responsible for the investment banking division for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. In 2004 he founded Altamar Private Equity, the first Spanish fund-of-funds group, of which he is currently executive president.

Aguirre’s investment banking career started in 1980 with Chase Manhattan in Spain, where he was promoted to general manager of the Chase office in Spain. From 1987 to 1994 he worked for Goldman Sachs in London.

He joined Merrill Lynch in London in 1994 to develop its investment banking presence in Spain and Portugal and after two years he was appointed CEO of Merrill Lynch for the Iberian Peninsula.

Since January 2003 Aguirre has been chairman of investment banking for Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) with a special focus in Spain and Portugal. During this time Aguirre was a member of Merrill Lynch’s executive committee for EMEA, board member of Merrill Lynch International and member of the global investment banking operating committee.