Private equity firm TDR Capital has made one of the most widely-known and respected leveraged finance bankers in Europe its first external hire to partner level in over five years.

The large-cap buyout house has named David Melvin, the former co-head of global financial sponsors at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, as a partner and head of investor relations. It is TDR's first external hire at partner level since 2006, when Jonathan Rosen joined from US buyout firm Hampshire Equity Partners.