Hong Kong brokerage CLSA closes America arm

The Americas unit of Hong Kong-based brokerage CLSA has shut down, a spokeswoman said on Monday, marking the closure of a small firm that counted prominent bank analyst Mike Mayo among its employees.

According to its website, CLSA has 1,500 employees located in 25 cities across Asia, Australia, the Americas and Europe.

Its parent company is CITIC Securities.

Mayo is an outspoken analyst known for tough questions he poses to management teams of big banks including Citigroup , Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase & Co .