IQ-EQ
IQ-EQ has announced the appointment of Chris Marsden as its new group general counsel and member of the executive leadership team.

Marsden qualified as a solicitor in 2005 and holds a degree in Modern History and a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Oxford.  He started his professional life practising at Hogan Lovells before joining Clifford Chance, where he spent many years working with financial institutions and private equity firms on M&A and corporate transactions in the financial services sector.

Before joining IQ-EQ, he was general counsel, EMEA for Link Group, responsible for the management of the cross-border legal team, secretariat and insurance arrangements. 

Commenting on his appointment, Marsden said: "The ambition and ability demonstrated in IQ-EQ's extraordinary growth story really appealed to me. The business displays its commitment to duality up front in its very name - IQ-EQ. It gives a clear identity for both clients and employees. This is vital to provide exceptional client service and rewarding careers for employees. I'm looking forward to working with new colleagues and being part of the next phase in the ongoing success of IQ-EQ."

 

AllianceBernstein
AllianceBernstein today announced the appointment of  Patricia Molpeceres as sales director in the AB Iberian Sales team. In her role she will be responsible for expanding AB's relationships in the Iberian region. Molpeceres will be based in Madrid and will report to Miguel Luzárraga, head of Iberia, AllianceBernstein.

Molpeceres joins with almost thirty years industry experience, most recently at Franklin Templeton where she had been for twenty years. Her most recent position was Senior Sales Executive which she had held for sixteen years.

There she was responsible for the distribution of mutual funds to both institutional and retail clients across the Iberian region. She led the development and implementation of customized products as well as participating in the successful launch of a UCITs Liquid Alt Funds Platform. Prior to this, she held a position at Bank of America.

In her new position, Molpeceres will focus on further developing the company's Iberian strategy and supporting our distribution partners in the region. She will be responsible developing close relationships with clients in the region to help the firm develop and deliver customized investment solutions for and with our clients that are tailored to their needs.

"The Iberian region is growing to prominence within the EMEA market and our appointment of Patricia is a testament to our commitment to the region," Miguel Luzárraga, head of Iberia for AllianceBernstein in EMEA, commented.

"In the current market environment, investors expect advice based on real investment expertise and broad-based knowledge. With Patricia we have found an expert who has the right technical understanding as well as a consistent focus on distribution."

 

Beaufort Group
Beaufort Group has today announced the appointment of Jade Connolly as chief operating officer.

Connolly takes over from Clive Goldthorpe, who has taken the decision to step back from day-to-day involvement in the business at the end of March 2021, but will continue to provide guidance to the business on a consultancy basis. As Chief Operating Officer, Jade will be responsible for leading on all operational, compliance and financial aspects for the Group. 

Prior to joining Beaufort Group, Jade held a range of senior operational roles at Ascot Lloyd. Before this, she worked as Head of Paraplanning at Thomas Miller Investment. She is a Chartered Financial Planner, Fellow of the Personal Finance Society and holds a distinction in the Institute of Directors Certificate in Company Direction.

Announcing the appointment, Derrick Dunne, CEO, said: "It's clear that Jade puts client satisfaction at the heart of everything she does, which makes her the perfect person for this role. As we look to further expand our proposition, her proven track record in combining technical knowledge with delivering optimal client outcomes will be a huge asset to us."

BCS Global Markets
BCS Global Markets the investment banking services division of Russia's largest independent broker, has announced the appointment of Vladimir Samokhvalov as the firm's new head of FX Department.

Samokhvalov will work directly with BCS GM co-CEO Maxim Safonov to develop the firm's FX product strategy - both domestically and internationally - and create a model of FX sales that meet both corporate and institutional clients' needs. Vladimir will also be responsible for developing a FX platform to work across BCS GM's entire suite of investment banking solutions, including BCS Bank.

Samokhvalov has over 20 years' experience in banking, including a decade at Alfa Bank where he was responsible for customer services in the FX market, building trade platforms, and algorithm and electronic trading. Under his leadership, Alfa Bank was ranked in the top 30 of the world's best FX teams in 2019, as well as the top FX team in Russia between 2012-19 according to MMBA.

Maxim Safonov, co-CEO at BCS Global Markets said: "Developing a competitive product lineup, a comprehensive customer coverage model, and an effective banking platform are key priorities of BCS GM's development.  We have no doubt that Vladimir's impressive experience and sector knowledge will help BCS GM build a cutting-edge FX platform, which will take our FX operations and suite of products to new heights."

Tyndall
Tyndall Investment Management has appointed Michael Phillips to its board as a non-executive director.  Drawing on a career spanning some three decades in fund management, Phillips will provide a further layer of expertise to help the investment boutique achieve its growth ambitions.

He brings a wealth of experience to Tyndall which he has gained through a range of senior roles at highly respected asset management groups.  These roles include CEO of private client stockbroker Christows, which he founded in 1991, CEO of Midas Capital, a position he held between 2001 and 2008, and Strategic Development Director of Gresham House, the specialist alternative asset manager.

Since 2004, Phillips has been director of Miton Global Opportunities plc while more recently in 2017 he assumed the role of Chairman of Zestec Asset Management, a specialist asset manager and developer of renewable energy assets.

Alex Odd, chief executive of Tyndall, said, "Michael joins Tyndall at a very exciting stage in its development as we bring our investment expertise to the IFA marketplace while continuing to grow our traditional client base." 

"His excellent track record of nurturing young businesses will prove invaluable as we build on our success across our operations.  Key to this has been the ability to attract highly talented individuals and Michael's appointment is a huge vote of confidence in the business and its prospects."

TMF Group
TMF Group, a leading global professional services firm, has appointed Derek Chen as a new senior executive to accelerate the growth of the firm's funds business in China.

Chen joins TMF Group as Commercial Director for Fund Services and will focus on fund administration and investment structuring, with the goal of developing and maintaining a network of prospects and business development opportunities. He will work with the wider global funds team to find innovative solutions to clients' needs.

Previously, Chen held the position of vice-president at Apex Fund Service, following many years spent at leading investment firms.

Chen will report to Andrew O'Shea, global head of fund services, who said: "Derek's extensive experience working within private and sovereign wealth funds gives him unique insight to our clients' needs: Derek will be instrumental in delivering solutions to managers investing regionally and globally. Our Fund Services department in China continues to grow rapidly and Derek will support our clients both domestically and internationally."

Chen said: "TMF Group's growth in the funds industry is terrific and I cannot wait to proactively contribute to it, by sharing my experience with the team."

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