HONG KONG, May 22 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs ( GS ) is

merging three Asian investment banking businesses it previously

managed separately into a single unit to integrate its regional

deals advisory and capital market capabilities, according to a

memo reviewed by Reuters.

Iain Drayton, head of the Wall Street bank's investment

banking business in Asia excluding Japan, will lead the

integrated Asia Pacific investment banking unit, said the

internal memo issued on Thursday.

A bank spokesperson confirmed the memo's content.

"This structure will enable more holistic client engagement,

more effective deployment of global and regional expertise, and

increased career opportunities for our people," Goldman Sachs ( GS )

said in the memo.

In the new role, Drayton will work closely with

Yoshihiko Yano and Shogo Matsuzawa, co-heads of investment

banking in Japan, and Nick Sims and Zac Fletcher, co-heads of

corporate advisory in Australia and New Zealand, the memo said.

A Goldman Sachs ( GS ) veteran, Drayton joined the firm in

Tokyo as a managing director in 2006, relocated to Hong Kong in

2010, and was named a partner in 2014.

Goldman Sachs ( GS ) ranks at the top of the Asia Pacific

equity capital market league table this year, according to

Dealogic data.