Nasdaq OMX Group Inc named a Bank of America Merrill Lynch investment banker as chief financial officer on Thursday, bringing in a seasoned dealmaker as it pursues a takeover bid of NYSE Euronext .

Lee Shavel replaces key Nasdaq dealmaker and former CFO Adena Friedman who left the exchange operator earlier this year for private equity firm Carlyle Group .

Shavel, who will also be executive vice president of corporate strategy, has advised Nasdaq over the last seven years on various M&A, funding and capital transactions. At Bank of America, he served as the Americas head of financial institutions investment banking.

Shavel's appointment, which is effective May 23, will bring a deals expert to Nasdaq Chief Executive Bob Greifeld's side as he tries to wrest away the Big Board parent from a deal with Deutsche Boerse in what could be a long, drawn-out battle.

Nasdaq has teamed up with IntercontinentalExchange Inc for its $11.2 billion rival bid for NYSE Euronext, while the German exchange has offered $10.3 billion.

Shavel has advised on several major deals in the sector, including the sale of the New York Mercantile Exchange to CME Group , the sale of International Securities Exchange to Deutsche Boerse and the acquisition of BRUT by Nasdaq.

He has also advised on the initial public offerings for companies including Nasdaq, NYMEX and MF Global , as well as financings for firms including Nasdaq, NYSE Euronext and CME.

Former Nasdaq CFO David Warren will continue to serve as special adviser to the CEO, and Ronald Hassen, senior vice president, controller and principal accounting officer will continue to serve as CFO in the interim.

Nasdaq's shares closed up 5 cents, or 0.2 percent, at $27.81.

(Reporting by Paritosh Bansal; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Bernard Orr)

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