Bank of America Merrill Lynch has embarked on a hiring spree for its European equities team, following a period of churn at its London-based division when a series of senior executives departed.

The US investment bank has hired four new managing directors in its City equities division in the past few weeks, as well as another six sales and trading professionals at a more junior level, as it replenishes the ranks of a team hit by a number of defections earlier this year, according to people familiar with the moves.