One of the best known fixed income bankers in Europe has returned to investment banking as chief executive of Mizuho International, the London-based securities and investment banking arm of the Japanese banking group, less than a year after he quit the industry.

Paul Hearn, who quit as co-head of global fixed income marketing at BNP Paribas in February to pursue "other interests outside of finance", will take on the running of Mizuho International in January next year, succeeding the outgoing CEO who is stepping down.