Canaccord Financial Inc. (TSX:CF) has appointed prominent investment banker Alexis de Rosnay as CEO of Canaccord Genuity Ltd., the U.K. and European arm of the Vancouver-based financial services company.

The appointment of de Rosnay, effective Wednesday, follows the departure of Mark Brown, who will continue working with Genuity as a consultant until next March.

De Rosnay, who will also replace Brown on the Genuity board, has had significant experience in running international investment banking operations, most recently as co-head of U.K. investment banking at Lazard and as vice-chairman of Lazard International.

Previously he was co-head of global healthcare investment banking and co-head of investment banking in Europe and the Middle East at Lehman Brothers. Earlier in his career, he was head of European healthcare investment banking at JPMorgan and spent four years at Rothschild Group in London and Paris.

“Alexis’ extensive, international investment banking experience and strong leadership capabilities are extremely well suited for this strategically important role,” Canaccord president and CEO Paul Reynolds said in making the announcement.

“By combining Alexis’ proven relationship-based business approach with our established capital markets platform, we expect Canaccord Genuity will remain firmly cemented as a market leader in the U.K. and the investment bank of choice for our growing corporate and institutional client base.”

Canaccord Genuity provides corporate broking, securities and advisory services to corporate and institutional clients. Through Collins Stewart Wealth Management, Canaccord Genuity also provides wealth management services to individual investors, institutions and intermediaries. Based in London, the business has over 650 employees at 12 offices across the United Kingdom and Europe.

Canaccord Financial Inc. is an independent, full-service financial services firm with operations in two principal segments of the securities industry: wealth management and global capital markets.

The company has 60 offices in 12 countries worldwide, including wealth management officers in Canada, Australia, the U.K. and Europe. Canaccord Genuity, the international capital markets division, operates in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Barbados.