Birmingham, AL-based Sterne, Agee & Leach, a privately-owned investment banking and brokerage firm, has established a four-strong emerging markets group, based in New York.

Mario Rappoport, Harry Wool, Mike Santiago and David Cortes have over 40 years of combined experience in sales and trading of emerging market fixed income products.   

Rappoport, managing director of trading, has previously worked at Bear Stearns and Jefferies, responsible for trading and selling EM products – primarily in Latin America and Eastern Europe.

Wool, also managing director of trading, launched the EM debt group at Miller Tabak. There, he focused on Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, African and Asian markets.

Santiago, senior vice president of sales, started the EM group at Jefferies. He previously held senior EM sales roles at Wachovia Securities, Prudential Securities and Lehman Brothers.

Cortes, senior vice president of sales, has worked at various Brazilian institutions such as Banco BTG Pactual and Banco Itau, trading and selling Brazilian EM debt to institutional clients.

Sterne, Agee & Leach provides financial services to corporations, municipalities and high net worth individuals. In May, the firm appointed Walter Robinson as president and chief operating officer.