Ian Hannam’s name back in the City

Ian Hannam, the controversial banker to much of the mining industry, has returned to the front line of City life after rebranding his corporate advisory firm Strand Partners as Hannam & Partners.

The former JP Morgan deal maker had to quit the bank in 2012 and was fined £450,000 by regulators for passing inside information to a foreign government official, but he has been allowed to continue working in the City.

Mr Hannam bought a controlling stake in Strand Partners two years ago and yesterday’s restructuring means it will now be a limited-liability partnership.

He is one of the City’s most-colourful figures, who made his name at JP Morgan Cazenove where he worked for nine years and advised mining giants BHP Billiton, Xstrata and Vedanta.

A captain in the Territorial Army, he studied at Imperial College and London Business School and is known for his top-notch contacts.

The Financial Services Authority ruled he was wrong to disclose confidential information to Iraqi Kurdistan’s oil minister, relating to the oil firm Heritage, and he was hit with a fine for market abuse.

His boutique firm plans to continue its focus on mining, resources and emerging markets, with a staff of 40.

In a sign of where Mr Hannam sees opportunities, the website is available in five languages: English, Chinese, Russian, Arabic and Turkish.

The company claims to have advised on $5bn (£3bn) of deals last year.

Richard Fenhalls, who founded Strand in 1993, continues as an adviser.