PARIS (AP) ? Investment bank Lazard Ltd. said yesterday it appointed Gerd Hausler, a former International Monetary Fund executive, as a managing director.

Hausler, who will be based in Paris and Frankfurt, Germany, will also become a vice chairman of Lazard International and a member of Lazard's Germany Advisory Board, the bank said in a statement. He will work on Lazard's corporate relationships in Germany and the rest of Europe and with financial institutions across the world.

Hausler "brings a wealth of unique experience and relationships in both the public and private sectors, which positions him to make a significant contribution to our global business," chief executive Bruce Wasserstein said.

Lazard, which is based in Bermuda, has offices in cities including New York, London and Paris. It provides services including mergers and acquisitions advice, asset management, corporate finance, and restructuring advice.