The economic and financial adviser to the prime minister of France, Dominique de Villepin, has joined hedge fund Eton Park Capital.

Alain Demarolle, a former investment banker with more than seven years' experience at Salomon Brothers in New York and London and Bear Stearns in Europe, has joined Eton Park as managing director for European affairs after a two-year stint working for de Villepin, whose term as prime minister is about to end. The first round of France's presidential election is due to take place on April 22.