Jefferies has bolstered its roster of bankers covering the clean technology sector, where opportunities for future deals have been increased by record levels of investments by venture capital firms as well as government initiatives to support the industry's development.

The bank said in a statement yesterday that it had hired Amy Corinne Smith as a managing director and co-head of global cleantech investment banking, which was established four years ago. Smith joins from Barclays Capital where she was global co-head of alternative energy investment banking.