Barclays has hired an anti-money laundering specialist in London and is exploring plans to launch a dedicated financial crime team in Asia Pacific, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Joe Smith, Wells Fargo's deputy money-laundering reporting officer and financial crime reporting officer, will join Barclays as a vice-president in October. He will report to Claire McLeod, who was promoted to head of financial crime legal at Barclays in June.