JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) has hired Hong Kong-based Johan Sudiman, a former director of the distressed loans desk at Deutsche Bank AG (DBK), to help drive its loans trading business, said two people familiar with the matter who declined to be identified because the details are private.

Sudiman’s hiring is part of the U.S. bank’s expansion in the secondary loans and distressed debt market in Asia, the people said, asking not to be identified because the details are private.

Marie Cheung, a Hong Kong-based spokeswoman for JPMorgan, declined to comment on Sudiman’s appointment when contacted by telephone today. Amy Chang, a Deutsche Bank spokeswoman in Hong Kong, also declined to comment.

To contact the reporter on this story: Wendy Mock in Hong Kong at wmock3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Katrina Nicholas at knicholas2@bloomberg.net