MOVES-HSBC strengthens UK investment banking with Noblet's appointment

LONDON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - HSBC has appointed Philip Noblet as co-head of its UK banking team, formed last year as part of its global banking and markets division to build up its debt capital markets and mergers and acquisitions services for British companies and financial institutions.

Noblet, who joined Europe's largest bank in March as head of UK coverage, replaces Natalie Blyth, who will become global head of large corporates, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. Noblet will take up the role on Sept. 1.

The appointment comes as HSBC reviews whether it should move its headquarters out of Britain back to its former home in Hong Kong.

Noblet will work closely with Alan Thomas, who has co-headed the UK banking division with Blyth (NYSE: BTH - news) since 2014. He will report to Robin Phillips, global head of banking, and Jose-Luis Guerrero, head of global banking and markets.

Noblet, formerly chairman of mergers and acquisition (M&A) at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, was tasked earlier this year with developing HSBC's investment banking network in Britain.

Last year HSBC grew the market share of its investment banking fees in Britain to 5.3 percent from a 4.5 percent in 2013, according to the memo, who also mentioned HSBC's advisory role in recent M&A deals such as Hutchison Whampoa's acquisition of Telefonica (Amsterdam: TA6.AS - news) 's British mobile unit O2.

(Reporting by Pamela Barbaglia, editing by Louise Heavens)