The European arm of Hicks Muse, which recently split from its US parent, the private equity group Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst, has hired two directors from the branded consumer industry.

Javier Ferrán, a Spanish national, joins Hicks Muse (Europe) after 20 years at Bacardi Group, the drinks manufacturer, where he most recently served as president and chief executive of Bacardi in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.