Bank of America Merrill Lynch has lost a star in its stock-trading division. Bill Hillegass, 35, is leaving his post as head of equity derivatives in the Americas after less than two years. A 35-year-old stock-trading star and head of equity derivatives in the Americas has quit Bank of America Merrill Lynch after a year and a half at the firm. William "Bill" Hillegass ditched Barclays to run equity derivatives in the US for Bank of America in August 2017, but now he's leaving the bank to join a top buy-side firm, according to people familiar with the matter.