TOKYO--Edelman has snapped up former Kreab Gavin Anderson (KGA) Japan head Deborah Hayden to head its Asia-Pacific capital markets practice.

The hire of the highly-rated Hayden follows her exit from KGA earlier this year, following a failed management buyout that also featured her Hong Kong counterpart Richard Barton.

Edelman Japan president Ross Rowbury confirmed Hayden's hire to head the firm's regional capital markets and M&A practice. Hayden will also serve as acting director of its corporate practice in Japan.

Rowbury added that Hayden would report to himself and Edelman Asia-Pacific CEO David Brain.

Hayden possesses considerable experience of Japan's corporate and financial markets, having joined Gavin Anderson Japan in 1988, before being named CEO in 2008, prior to the firm's merger with Omnicom sibling Kreab. 

She was one of a quartet of senior executives, along with Barton, UK head Fergus Wylie and CFO Gene Golembeski, that were 'asked to leave' the firm on the same day in September, which has since been followed by the departure of Singapore head Terence Foo.