After searching for more than a year, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has hired a former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. executive as its chief risk officer.
Barry Zubrow will join the $1.5 trillion-asset company Monday from ITB LLC, a private investment management firm where he was the president. Before leaving Goldman Sachs in 2004, he was the investment bank's chief credit and chief administrative officer.
Mr. Zubrow's hiring followed changes in risk management personnel at both Citigroup Inc. and National City Corp., after each reported mortgage-related writedowns. JPMorgan Chase's problems with subprime credit quality and the value of collateralized debt obligations were smaller than Citi's, but analysts said they viewed Mr. Zubrow's hiring as significant.
"It does not signal that there are problems, but it does signal that more attention is being paid" to risk management, said Nancy A. Bush, who runs her own research firm, NAB Research LLC.
James Dimon, JPMorgan Chase's chairman and chief executive, "is clearly anticipating that there is going to be heightened attention to risk on the part of Wall Street" and regulators, Ms. Bush said.
As JPMorgan Chase takes more credit-related charges, Richard X. Bove of Punk, Ziegel & Co. said it requires a "hands-on, active" risk manager.
The position has been open since the end of last year, when Don M. Wilson 3rd left. Since then Mr. Dimon has led the team of risk officers in JPMorgan Chase's six lines of business.
"I can't believe that they didn't name someone to the position" until now, Mr. Bove said.
Asked about the length of time the position remained open, a spokesman for the company said its priority was to appoint "the very best person" for the job.
Eugene Ludwig, the former comptroller of the currency who heads the consulting firm Promontory Financial Group LLC, called the hiring "a home run" for Mr. Dimon. "Barry is exceptional."
Mr. Zubrow, 54, is on Promontory Financial's advisory board and has been an adviser to Gov. Jon Corzine of New Jersey.
Citi said two weeks ago that Jorge A. Bermudez would succeed Dave Bushnell, who will retire Dec. 31 as its risk chief. Mr. Bermudez, a former CEO of Citi's Latin American business, had served in risk management at several of the $2.4 trillion-asset company's divisions.
Last week, Nat City said Dale Roskom would succeed Jim Bell as its chief risk officer. Mr. Roskom joined the Cleveland company last year from Barclays PLC, where he held the same position.