June 26 (Reuters) - J.P. Morgan has hired

Anthony Diamandakis as the vice chair of its strategic investors

group as it ramps up its push to strengthen ties with asset

managers and financial sponsors, according to a memo seen by

Reuters on Thursday.

Diamandakis was most recently a top dealmaker at Citigroup ( C/PN )

, where he spent nearly 11 years. Prior to that, he also

had a 17-year stint at Credit Suisse.

J.P. Morgan's efforts to bolster its ranks by bringing on an

industry veteran underscore its sharpened focus on an

influential client base.

Financial sponsors such as private equity funds, sovereign

wealth funds and family offices control trillions in deployable

capital and are driving some of the biggest deals globally.

Diamandakis will report to Avery Whidden, global head of

infrastructure and strategic investors group at J.P. Morgan, the

memo said.