Qatar strong arm

* username: rupertbu

It took a little more than a year for Anthony Armstrong , Credit Suisse's Middle East head of M&A, to decamp to Qatar Holding.

As its new head of mergers and acquisitions, it is a powerful role: Qatar Holding has stakes in J Sainsbury, the London Stock Exchange, Barclays - and Credit Suisse.

Mr Armstrong was posted to Dubai in January 2009 in a newly created role of regional head of M&A, from Los Angeles. There he advised Dubai World on a $5.4bn MGM Mirage joint venture in 2007, and deals on behalf of Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris.