KBC's top brokers go to HTI Morgan Stanley

Olimpiu Blajut, the general manager of KBC Securities – the current leader of the local brokerage market and Bogdan Juravle, the firm’s main broker, have joined the Romanian team of US investment bank Morgan Stanley, sources on the market say. This is the most important move on the brokerage market in the past year. The transfer of the two could lead to new developments in the brokers’ ranking, which has seen KBC Securities in the top spot over the past year. KBC brokered 1.3 billion euros’ worth of deals last year. On the other hand, Morgan Stanley, which took over HTI Valori Mobiliare brokerage firm in 2007, has kept a low profile on the Stock Exchange so far. Blajut could not be reached and Juravle was not prepared to comment. KBC would not provide a statement, either. Juravle is one of the best-known brokers on the Romanian capital market. He was first trading manager of ING Securities, ING Bank’s brokerage firm, the former leader of the brokers’ ranking and then moved to KBC Securities last year. Blajut was part of the management team of Swiss Capital, before it was taken over by KBC.