Rohatyn Associates, the advisory boutique founded by Felix Rohatyn, the former Lazard chief, has advised HSBC, the UK bank, on the second-biggest European acquisition of the year.

The firm worked alongside Morgan Stanley and HSBC's own bankers on its $14bn (€14bn) purchase of Household International, the US consumer credit provider. Goldman Sachs worked for Household, with Keefe Bruyette & Woods, the investment bank specialising in financial services, providing a fairness opinion.