Barclays has hired Nomura's joint general counsel for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) to lead the legal team for its global retail banking division.

Mark Chapman is set to join Barclays later this year as general counsel for the retail division, overseeing the business's global legal function across 21 countries. The former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer lawyer will report to Barclays' group GC Mark Harding and chief financial officer for global retail banking Peter Estlin.

He replaces Michael Shaw, who has served as acting GC since the previous post-holder, Judith Shepherd, left in March to take up a role as general counsel of Barclays Capital. Shaw now returns to his role as deputy GC.

Estlin said: "Mark brings significant experience in banking and litigation combined with extensive regulatory market expertise, which will make him a valuable addition to the global retail banking executive leadership team."

Chapman left Nomura at the end of September, as the Japanese investment bank nears the end of its ongoing EMEA legal panel review. He spent 10 years with Nomura, replacing ex-Linklaters managing partner Terence Kyle as European general counsel in 2007.

He went on to become co-GC for EMEA alongside Piers Le Marchant in 2009, when the bank overhauled its in-house legal team following its takeover of Lehman Brothers' European and Middle Eastern equities and investment banking businesses. Le Marchant will serve as Nomura's sole GC for EMEA.

Last month Barclays Capital hired Ashurst structured finance chief Erica Handling as EMEA legal head.