Shaw and Partners has kick-started 2021 with two new hires in its corporate finance team.

Street Talk understands the firm has added ex-Citi and Luminis operative David Paton, and former HSBC director Andrew Milsom as directors in its corporate finance division, and the pair are expected to start at the firm next week.

Paton is a natural resources specialist, and in addition to Citi and Luminis, he cut his teeth at investment banks Morgan Stanley and Macquarie.

Meanwhile Milsom comes across to Shaws after working at Sydney fund manager Bombora. He brings with him a lot of experience in the industrials sector, particularly with high growth and technology-focused businesses.

“We are delighted to have two such high calibre directors join the team," Shaws head of corporate finance Conrad Anderson told this column.

"We’ve taken our time in picking David and Andrew as the right candidates to continue to support our growth in key strategic areas."

The hires come amid a busy time for the Shaws team, particularly in initial public offerings. The firm helped close pre-IPO rounds for commodities marketplace Xpansiv and Beforepay in the past two months and will be on board when the floats roll around this year.

The firm is also on the ticket as a co-manager for the listing of Quadrant Private Equity's online auctions house Grays Online and is leading medical technology company ITL Health Group's float.