Citigroup has hired seven professionals for its equity capital markets and corporate broking franchise, including a former head of ECM syndicate at Merrill Lynch, as the US bank looks to bolster its ranks having suffered staff losses across the investment bank.

John Millar, a former head of ECM syndicate at Merrill Lynch, has joined Citigroup as managing director, reporting to Tim Harvey-Samuel, head of ECM in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.