HSBC today announced it has added three senior analysts to its Latin America research team as part of the bank's continued commitment to providing high quality emerging market research. The analysts will enhance coverage of the Latin American transportation, capital goods and utilities sectors as well as Southern Cone and Andean equity strategy. All three analysts will report to Ben Laidler, Head of Research for the Americas.

"These appointments underscore our commitment to creating a leading Latin American research capability that enhances our overall Global Emerging Markets proposition," said Stuart Parkinson, CEO Global Research. "With our strength in key emerging market countries, and in particular Asia, HSBC is well-positioned to be a leading provider of research in this important region."

"As investors look for investment opportunities in faster growing markets, it is important that we continue to invest in our Latin America research offering at this pivotal time," added Ben Laidler, Head of Research for the Americas. "These appointments will allow us to provide a full spectrum of Latin America equity sector and strategy coverage and complement appointments made in equity capital markets and in the equity sales area in 2012."

Sandra Boente has joined HSBC as a Senior Vice President responsible for covering the Latin America utility and water sectors. Based in New York City, Boente brings a wealth of experience to this role with more than 18 years of financial markets experience.

Most recently, she served as the Latin America utilities analyst at Deutsche Bank. Previous to that, she covered the European oil and gas energy sector at Santander and was the energy analyst at Citigroup covering Latin America. She holds an MBA from Columbia University, a BA from Argentina's Catholic University and is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Alexandre Falcao has joined HSBC as a Senior Vice President covering the Latin America transport and capital goods sectors. Based in Sao Paulo, he also reports locally to Alexandre Gartner, Head of Equity Research for Brazil. In this new role, Falcao will cover the fast growing transport (airlines and car rental), infrastructure (airports, toll roads, and ports), and industrials (machinery and capital goods) sectors.

Falcao brings 12 years of Latin America financial markets experience. Most recently, he was a banker in the equity capital markets area of XP Investimentos in Brazil and served as a portfolio manager at Drachma Capital. Previous to these roles, he was a sell-side analyst at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch responsible for coverage of Latin America mid-to-small cap companies. Falcao holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Sao Paulo. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Francisco Schumacher has joined HSBC as a Vice President and Southern Cone and Andean Strategist. In this new role, he will be responsible for equity strategy and special situation stock coverage for Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. The position will enable HSBC to provide a full Pan-Latin America strategy and research product. He is based in New York City.

Schumacher brings more than eight years equity research and strategy experience. He joins from Deutsche Bank where he was a Latin America strategist with primary focus on the Southern Cone and Andean region. He is a CFA charter holder, and is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

In 2012, HSBC's Global Banking and Markets business added Gerard Watson as Head of Latin America Equity Sales in the U.S. and Matias Santa Cruz as Head of Equity Capital Markets for Brazil.

HSBC's Latin America equity research team now consists of 23 senior analysts, equity strategists, and economists covering over 150 stocks across the region's six main markets - Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru - from research offices in Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Buenos Aires and New York City.

Notes to editors:

HSBC Bank USA, National Association, with total assets of $196bn as of 30 September 2012 (US GAAP), serves 3 million customers through retail banking and wealth management, commercial banking, private banking, asset management, and global banking and markets segments. It operates more than 250 bank branches throughout the United States. There are over 165 in New York State as well as branches in: California; Connecticut; Delaware; Washington, D.C.; Florida; Maryland; New Jersey; Pennsylvania; Oregon; Virginia; and Washington State. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is the principal subsidiary of HSBC USA Inc., an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is a member of the FDIC.

Global Banking and Markets is an emerging markets-led and financing-focused business that provides tailored financial solutions to major government, corporate and institutional clients worldwide. HSBC manages its Global Banking and Markets operations as a global business and maintains offices in more than 60 countries and territories. Global Banking and Markets offers clients geographic reach and deep local knowledge. In the United States, it offers a full range of tailored financial products and services through the HSBC Bank USA, N.A. and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 6,900 offices in over 80 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, North and Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa. With assets of US$2,721bn at 30 September 2012, the HSBC Group is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations.

Media:
HSBC
Juanita Gutierrez, 212-525-6282
juanita.gutierrez@us.hsbc.com