By Svea Herbst-Bayliss

NEW YORK (Reuters), -Barclays Plc appointed Jim Rossman, a former Lazard (NYSE) banker, as global head of shareholder advisory. Sources familiar with the matter stated that this was announced Wednesday.

This move is being made as British Bank expands its investment banking business and corporate clients are increasingly seeking advice about how to protect themselves from activist investors looking for spin-offs of company sales.

Rossman has been with Lazard for more than 10 years and was the most recent co-head of capital markets advisory. Rossman will likely assume this position in New York later in the year.

Barclay’s global mergers and acquisitions chiefs Gary Posternack, and Ihsan Essaid will be reporting to him.

Barclays (LON:) didn’t immediately reply to my request for comment. Lazard couldn’t be reached for comment.

Bloomberg reported Rossman’s hiring for the first time.

Rossman was also head of shareholder advisory at Lazard and had worked in prominent activist cases, including Carl Icahn’s plan to buy utility Southwest Gas (NYSE 🙂 Holdings.

Investors are bringing more heat to corporations than ever, in particular those that concentrate on ESG and Governance issues. These include executive compensation, diversity, board composition, as well as the pay of executives.

Rossman started his legal career with Cleary Gottlieb, and later moved to Lehman Brothers. Barclays acquired Lehman shortly after the company filed for bankruptcy.