SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs' (N:GS) senior investment banker and chairman of its Southeast Asia business Tim Leissner has left the bank, a spokesman said.
Leissner helped arrange the sale of U.S. dollar bonds for Malaysian state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), sources told Reuters. The bank drew criticism from Malaysian politicians over the hefty amount it earned from these transactions.
Leissner left the bank earlier this month, the bank spokesman added, without giving further details.
Leissner is the second Goldman banker linked to 1MDB deals to leave the bank. Roger Ng, then managing director and head of Southeast Asia sales for fixed income, currencies and commodities, also left two years ago, sources had told Reuters at the time. (http://reut.rs/1TEWbgU)
Leissner did not respond to several attempts by Reuters to contact him.
Leissner was named chairman of Southeast Asia in mid-2014 and was supposed to relocate to Singapore from Hong Kong, but instead spent time between Hong Kong and Los Angeles, where his wife lives, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The sources declined to be named because the information remained confidential.