JP Morgan's top media sector banker Harry Hampson, who worked on the sale last year of Elisabeth Murdoch's Shine Group to News Corp, is to become head of the bank's Financial Sponsors Group which advises private equity firms, for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, according to a memo seen by Reuters.

Hampson is taking over from Karen Simon, who decided to move back to the United States as vice-chairwoman of investment banking, global oil and gas, an area that she had previously covered earlier in her career with the bank.

Simon, a 20-year veteran of the firm who joined the financial sponsors group in 2004, was involved in the 925 million-euro ($1.16 billion) initial public share offer for Dutch cable company Ziggo, the largest IPO in the region since July 2011 and the largest private equity-related IPO since Oct 2010.

Hampson has led JP Morgan's EMEA technology, media and telecoms team since 2002, helping the firm position itself as a leading investment in the European media sector.

He led the European equity capital markets and the equities syndicate desk in the 1990s.

Before joining the financial sponsors team, Simon co-headed debt capital markets and Nordic coverage and led the firm's oil and gas group in the 1990s.

Following Hampson's move Markus Boser and David Lomer will become co-heads of technology, media and telecoms, a separate memo seen by Reuters said.

Boser most recently led the technology advisory business for EMEA and Lomer was head of media business.

Joachim Sonne continues to lead European telecoms, with Donald Monson and Anil Rachwani taking up new leadership roles for media and technology, respectively.

A JP Morgan spokeswoman confirmed the contents of the memos.

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