Mizuho Financial Group Inc. subsidiary Mizuho Americas LLC has hired Paul Fremont as equity analyst covering the utilities sector.

Fremont, who previously worked as a power sector analyst at Nexus Asset Management LLC, will cover water utilities and independent power providers, as well as larger cap and western utility companies. The addition of Fremont will double the firm's overall coverage of the utilities sector, Mizuho said in a Feb. 1 news release.

Fremont joins Managing Director and Equity Research Analyst James von Riesemann, who already covers the utilities sector for Mizuho. The firm also recently appointed Mark McLain and Peter Heller as managing directors with a focus on equity trading for the utilities and energy sectors.