DALLAS — The hiring of Thomas Langford as UBS global head of energy investment banking in Houston represents a renewed emphasis on growth in the Americas, according to top executives at the Swiss firm.
Langford moves to his new position after 17 years as an investment banker in the energy field for Morgan Stanley. He replaces Stephen Trauber, who moved to Citigroup along with other members of the UBS energy team.
“The energy sector is dynamic, and with an increasing volume of deal activity, it is one of the most significant opportunities for our global investment banking business,” Carsten Kengeter, chairman and chief executive of UBS Investment Bank, said in a prepared statement last week. “Given his location in Houston, Texas, we are equally pleased to demonstrate continued investment in our senior team in the U.S. The Americas region is of critical importance to our global business.”
During his tenure at Morgan Stanley, Langford worked in New York, Asia, and Houston. Before that, he served as a consultant with McKinsey & Co. focused on energy firms. Earlier, he worked as a production engineer at Exxon Mobil.
With offices in more than 50 countries, UBS operates in all major financial centers, with about 37% of its employees working in the Americas, 37% in Switzerland, 16% in the rest of Europe and 10% in Asia Pacific. UBS employs about 65,000 people worldwide.
