LONDON, May 8 (Reuters) - The chairman of Jefferies'

European investment banking Financial Institutions Group, George

Maddison, is retiring from his role, according to two sources

with knowledge of the situation.

The banker, who is stepping down after a four-year stint,

was brought in from Credit Suisse as Jefferies sought to build

up its FIG advisory business. He spent more than 30 years at

Credit Suisse, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Maddison was part of the team advising activist investor

Elliott Advisors in its ultimately rejected bid for British

retailer Currys last year.

The U.S. bank also advised Santander last year on the sale

of its stake in custody and asset servicing entity Caceis to

Credit Agricole, according to LSEG, and was involved in other

deals like doValue's acquisition of Gardant.

A Jefferies spokesperson declined to comment while Maddison

did not reply to a request for comment.

Jefferies has nearly doubled the number of managing

directors in investment banking in Europe, the Middle East and

Africa in the last five years, and has 104 bankers in the

region, the bank said in a recent LinkedIn post.