Jefferies takes on new talent

Jefferies & Co. Inc. has hired seven trading, sales trading and research sales employees as it expands its cash equities business.
The company tapped Rhys Brooks as managing director and head of consumer trading. He was previously a trader at New York-based Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. and Thomas Weisel Partners Group Inc. of San Francisco.
Neil Higgins was hired as a managing director and research salesperson in the company’s Boston office.
He was most recently a managing director of institutional sales at in the Boston office of Minneapolis-based Piper Jaffray Cos.
Michael A. Spataro joined the company as a senior vice president and research salesperson in New York. He was previously an institutional salesperson at A.G. Edwards.
The company also signed on Michael J. Wharry as a senior vice president to lead its Dallas-based research sales efforts.
He was most recently a senior vice president and research salesperson at Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.
Joseph “Trey” E. Laird III, Donald J. O’Shaughnessy Jr. and John C. Riedel were given the title of senior vice president and sales trader.
They will be based in Jefferies’ New York, Chicago and San Francisco offices, respectively.
Jefferies & Co. Inc. is based in New York.