Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) announced the hiring of three senior bankers to augment its coverage of private equity sponsor clients and its direct lending business.

The bank has hired Michael Klein and Keith Murray as Managing Directors of Sponsor Coverage, reporting to Matt Maley, Head of Private Equity Sponsor Coverage within MUFG's Corporate Advisory Group. Messrs. Klein and Murray will be responsible for delivering the bank's full array of capabilities to sponsor clients including financing and capital markets solutions, advisory services and transaction banking.

John Timoney has been hired by the Capital Markets Group as a Managing Director to focus on originating, structuring and syndicating direct lending transactions of both private-equity sponsors and corporate clients. He will report to Jeffrey Knowles, Head of Specialized Finance.

Mr. Klein joined the firm on March 1 and Mr. Murray on March 15. Mr. Timoney's start date is March 22.

Mr. Klein is based in Atlanta. He joined MUFG from Regions Bank, where he had been a Managing Director handling the bank's private-equity sponsor coverage, and has more than 30 years of experience covering sponsors and their portfolio companies at Wells Fargo, CIT Group, Citi, Wachovia and JPMorgan. Mr. Klein is a graduate of Southern Methodist University's executive management program and earned a B.A. in economics and finance from the University of Texas at Austin.

Mr. Murray is based in New York. He joined MUFG from RBC Capital Markets, where he had served as Managing Director and Head of Middle Market Leveraged Finance. He previously worked at BNP Paribas and Merrill Lynch Capital, where he was a founding member of the firm's sponsor finance business. Mr. Murray earned an M.B.A. from New York University and a B.A. in economics from Dickinson College.

Mr. Timoney will be based in New York and joins from Antares Capital, where he has served as a Managing Director in Capital Markets, leading the syndication of private-equity sponsored and corporate debt transactions for more than nine years. Previously he served at RBS Securities as a Managing Director in the Loan and High-Yield Markets Group, and held similar roles at AIB Capital Markets and Merrill Lynch. Mr. Timoney earned an M.B.A. from New York University and a B.A. in economics from the University of Vermont.

"Michael's and Keith's many relationships across the private-equity sector and experience in leveraged finance will be vital for MUFG in continuing to grow our sponsor business as a top-tier financial partner," said Robert Smock, Head of the Corporate Advisory Group.

"John is a key addition to our Capital Markets Group, with deep knowledge in originating and structuring direct lending transactions and private-market debt with financial sponsors and corporate clients," said Raj Kapadia, International Head of Capital Markets.

In a joint statement, Messrs. Smock and Kapadia added: "John, Michael and Keith solidify our commitment to private-equity sponsors, corporate clients running the gamut of credit profiles, and leveraged finance—especially during this time of economic recovery, when such commitment is most needed."

MUFG is the world's sixth largest financial institution by assets, with approximately $3.3 trillion.