MOVES-Mizuho hires Maybank's Gupta to head Asia Pacific ex Japan healthcare, consumer - sources

(Adds Mizuho's Nov 7 response in paragraph 5 of a story published on Nov 6)

SINGAPORE, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Mizuho Financial Group , Japan's third-largest lender by assets, has hired Maybank's Saurabh Gupta to lead its healthcare and consumer sectors in Asia Pacific excluding Japan, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

The hiring follows Mizuho's expansion of its investment banking business globally. The Tokyo-based company in May announced the acquisition of U.S. M&A advisory firm Greenhill & Co Inc for $550 million including debt.

Gupta, who was most recently the head of investment banking and advisory business for Singapore at the Malaysian bank formally known as Malayan Banking Bhd, will join Mizuho early next year, the sources added.

The sources declined to be named as the information was private.

Mizuho declined to comment. Maybank did not respond to Reuters requests seeking comment.

Gupta has been with Maybank for more than a decade, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was previously with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and HSBC before joining Maybank, his LinkedIn profile showed.

(Reporting by Yantoultra Ngui; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)