Sept 19 (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase ( JPM ) has hired two

managing directors to strengthen its consumer and retail

investment banking unit, according to an internal memo seen by

Reuters on Friday.

Brian Esmond will join in Los Angeles from Centerview

Partners. Bryan Fleming will be based in New York after leaving

Bank of America ( BAC ), where he worked as a managing director

in retail and consumer investment banking.

Both are expected to start later this year and will report

to Jonathan Dunlop, Patrick Gallagher and Aaron Weisbrod, the

memo said.

JPMorgan's ( JPM ) investment banking fees rose 7% to $2.5 billion

in the second quarter from a year earlier, underpinned by a rise

in mergers and acquisitions and debt underwriting.

The move was first reported by Bloomberg News.