UPDATE 1-MOVES-Marsh, Cowen Group, 1st Financial

(Adds Cowen Group, 1st Financial)

Oct 29 (Reuters) - The following financial services industry appointment was announced on Thursday. To inform us of other job changes, send an e-mail to moves@thomsonreuters.com.

MARSH

The unit of Marsh & McLennan Cos Inc (MMC.N) named Simon Curtis as chief operating officer of Marsh UK. He joins from Jardine Lloyd Thompson.

COWEN GROUP INC (COWN.O)

The New York investment bank has launched a financial institutions group, hiring Simon Adamiyatt and David Levy to co-head the group. Both are former Bear Stearns executives in that firm's financial institution's group. Also joining the new unit are Matthew Epstein, from Fiserv Inc (FISV.O), and Francis Greco, from Lehman Bros and Credit Suisse (CSGN.VX).

1ST FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP (FFIS.OB)

CEO Greg Gibson will retire on Oct. 31, 2009, the North Carolina-based bank holding company announced. A replacement has not been named. (Compiled by Amit Kumar in Bangalore and Joe Rauch in Charlotte, editing by Maureen Bavdek)