Nomura Securities International Inc. named Chuck Teixeira chief operating officer for equities in the Americas and hired three research sales employees as the unit of Japan's biggest brokerage builds its U.S. presence.

Teixeira will move to New York in June and work with Naoki Matsuba, head of equities at the parent Nomura Holdings Inc. He will be the Tokyo-based firm's first global business chief based in the city, according to a statement Monday.

"Demand for Nomura's research product has grown significantly," said Mark Rutherford, head of equity research sales. "Our enhanced sales presence in the U.S. underlines our long-term commitment and desire to pursue this opportunity."

Nomura, which has increased U.S.-based staff by 137 since October, is focusing on the region after hiring 326 employees in the Europe, Middle East and Africa businesses since January and buying Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.'s European investment-banking and equities units.

Jeff Marine, 45, formerly at Merrill Lynch & Co., will move to the New York office in June and report to Edward Peel, head of Europe, the Middle East and Africa research sales in the Americas.