UPDATE 2-MOVES-Merriman, Credit Suisse, Nir, Oppenheimer EU

(Adds Merriman Curhan, Credit Suisse, Nir)

June 3 (Reuters) - The following financial services industry appointments were announced on Wednesday. To inform us of other job changes, send an e-mail to moves@thomsonreuters.com.

MERRIMAN CURHAN FORD GROUP

Merriman Curhan Ford Group (MERR.O) created an independent advisory board to advise the investment bank's management: Patrick Arbor, former Chicago Board of Trade chairman; Dean Barr, former chief investment officer of Deutsche Asset Management; Raymond Minehan, former CFO of Hambrecht & Quist; Michael Moe, co-founder and former CEO of ThinkEquity Partners; Steven Town, ex-CEO of Amerex Group North America; and Timothy Vaill, CEO of Boston Private Financial Holdings Inc (BPFH.O).

Arbor, Minehan and Town recently stepped down from Merriman's board of directors.

CREDIT SUISSE (CSGN.VX)

Brian Finn of Credit Suisse Group has joined Asset Management Finance as chief executive, replacing co-founder and industry veteran Norton Reamer. Finn has been AMF board chairman since August 2008, when Credit Suisse purchased a majority interest.

Finn, 48, relinquished duties as chairman of alternative investments at Credit Suisse Asset Management but will remain a senior adviser. Previously, Finn was a member of the Swiss bank's executive board, president of Credit Suisse First Boston, president of investment banking, co-president of institutional trading and co-head of mergers & acquisitions.

Finn spent five years with private-equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice before rejoining Credit Suisse in 2002.

NIR GROUP

NIR Group, an alternative investment firm, has opened an office in Singapore, to be headed by Shoham Cohen. Prior to joining NIR, Cohen was managing director at Superfund Group, and before that director of Innovation Fund, a fund-of-hedge funds in the Cayman Islands.

OPPENHEIMER EU LTD

The unit of Oppenheimer Holdings Inc (OPY.N) said it appointed Paul Tanner as managing director, fixed income sales and trading in London. Tanner joins from Landsbanki.

STANDARD & POOR'S RATINGS SERVICES

The credit ratings provider said it appointed Suzanne Smith as managing director, ratings, south and southeast Asia.

PRUPIM

The real estate investment manager said it appointed Adrian Little as investment management director. Adrian joins from Invista Real Estate and will be based in London.

HONG KONG EXCHANGES AND CLEARING LTD (HKEx)

The firm has appointed Charles Li to replace Paul Chow as chief executive and an ex-officio member of the board, effective Jan. 16, 2010. Li, who is currently with JP Morgan China, will join HKEx on Oct. 16 this year.

GREENHILL & CO INC (GHL.N)

The independent investment bank said it appointed Christopher Mize and Aaron Hoover as managing directors. They will establish a Houston office focused on energy companies.

LADENBURG THALMANN & CO INC

The Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc (LTS.A) unit said it appointed Bradley Ball, Edwin Groshans and Ariel Schochet to equity research and institutional sales coverage in the financial services sector. Ball was previously at Citi Investment Research, while Groshans and Schochet join from Omega Investment Advisors. They will be based in New York.

HCP (HCP.N)

The real estate investment trust appointed Scott Anderson as senior vice president-chief accounting officer, effective July 1. Anderson joins from Apartment Investment Management Co.

GRANT THORNTON INTERNATIONAL

The accounting firm said Edward Nusbaum will serve as the next chief executive, effective Jan. 1. Nusbaum currently serves as chief executive of Grant Thornton LLP.

HARTFORD FINANCIAL SERVICE GROUP INC (HIG.N)

The life and property insurer said it appointed Victor Chang president and chief executive of Hartford Life Insurance KK, its Japanese unit, from July 1. Chang was previously at Morgan Stanley Asset and Investment Trust Management in Japan.

UBS SECURITIES

The investment bank named Takuji Aida its Senior Economist for Japan. Aida joins from Brevan Howard (Japan) Ltd.

RWC PARTNERS

The asset manager said it appointed Mike Corcell to launch a U.S. long short equity fund. Corcell joins from Threadneedle and will continue to be based in London.

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP

The company said it promoted its leisure director, David Trunkfield, to the position of the head of Gaming for the UK practice. Trunkfield had previously worked at the COBA Group.

J O Hambro Capital Management (JOHCM)

The boutique investment management firm said it appointed Michael Hogg as an analyst to its UK equity team. Hogg was previously at BDO Stoy Hayward (London). (Compiled by Antonita Madonna Devotta in Bangalore)