When then-Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson called Bob Diamond on Thursday 11 September 2008 to suggest Barclays Capital bid for Lehman Brothers, it was Jerry del Missier and Rich Ricci who flanked the unit's American architect on a commercial flight to New York. Almost exactly two years on, the duo have been named co-chiefs of investment banking arm so transformed by that deal.

Del Missier, then president of Barclays Capital, and Ricci, chief operating officer, flew to New York alongside Diamond as the UK bank set out to land a franchise-changing deal.