Last checked at 
LONDON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - HSBC Holdings has hireda former spokesman for the Britain's prime minister and now asenior official at HM Treasury to develop its banking relationswith governments.
Michael Ellam will join as managing director of HSBC'spublic sector banking team in its financial institutions groupfrom Dec. 2, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. HSBCconfirmed the accuracy of the memo.
Ellam joins from HM Treasury, where he was most recentlydirector general of international finance. He has spent sixyears on the Treasury's executive management board and wasformerly Downing Street's director of communications and theprime minister's official spokesman when Gordon Brown was inoffice.
The memo said Ellam will be responsible for developingHSBC's senior government relationships across banking. There isregular work for banks from government-related deals, such asBritain's sale of a 3.2 billion pound ($5.1 billion) stake inLloyds Banking Group on Monday.
