Bruce Wasserstein, chairman and chief executive of Lazard, has recruited Gerd Häusler, former chairman of Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, as a vice-chairman of the US bank's newly-formed international division.

Häusler, who was most recently director of the international capital markets arm of the International Monetary Fund until leaving in July after five years, was chairman of Dresdner Bank's investment banking arm between December 1997 and May 2000.