Allfunds 

Allfunds has appointed Antonio Varela as its new chief operating officer (COO), starting in December.

Zurich-based Varela will join Allfunds' executive committee and report to Juan Alcaraz, CEO.

In this newly created position, Varela will have oversight of the operations and information technology departments.

He brings expertise in digital technologies and transformation, having served as the head of global wealth EMEA technology and operations at Citi, as well as Swiss senior country operations officer. 

Prior to joining Citi, he held various positions at Credit Suisse in the group's COO division, including responsibilities for cloud adoption globally and head of private banking technology for the Americas region.

Alcaraz said: "As COO, Antonio will lead core areas that are in great part the engine of Allfunds as a WealthTech company. Technology and operations are key to our platform's differentiated value and instrumental to our success as a business. Antonio's experience, drive, and deep knowledge of the financial landscape will be instrumental in supporting our strategic vision and ambitions." 

Bordier & Cie

Bordier & Cie has appointed Gerardo Palacios as Country Head for Uruguay.

Gerardo Palacios has more than 30 years' experience in the Latin American wealth management industry. He spent almost 20 years working for ABN AMRO in Uruguay, Brazil and Switzerland, where he became Head of Latin America in Switzerland. 

He then moved on to UBS, where he held a series of senior management positions leading WM teams covering Brazil and other Latin American markets in several locations including as CEO of UBS Uruguay Ltd. 

His last position at UBS was as Regional Local Head for Central Andean and South Latam based in Switzerland. Most recently he founded and managed his own family office in Montevideo.

 "We are delighted to welcome Gerardo to the team" said Daia Feigenwinter, Head of Latin America and Iberia at Bordier & Cie. "We are convinced Gerardo will help us spearhead the growth of our two Uruguayan offices serving local and international clients. With this latest appointment, we are reinforcing our commitment to the region and especially to Uruguay, where we have been present since 2009."

ZEDRA

 

ZEDRA, a leading provider of Pensions & Incentives, Corporate & Global Expansion, Active Wealth and Fund Solutions, has named Alastair Meeks as client director. He will be based at the firm's London office. 

Kim Nash, managing director at ZEDRA Governance said: "Our clients have different needs, so it's imperative they have access to experts with a wide range of skills and experience, from varied backgrounds, to best suit their goals and objectives. Our dynamic team is progressive, pragmatic, and not bound by the typical ‘ways of doing things'. Our continued recruitment of first-class Client Directors, like Alastair, who can be far more tailored and strategic in their approach to supporting clients, is testament to the bespoke and distinctive service we offer." 

Nash continued: "Alastair's legal expertise will be very helpful in this role, particularly for schemes facing major litigation, where corporate restructuring has had a material impact on covenant, or in evaluating the strategic options arising from surpluses. He's a fantastic addition to our team and we look forward to working with him."

Meeks added: "I am looking forward to bringing my years of legal expertise into play in an environment that allows me to develop creative solutions and guide trustee boards through their decision making. I have seen new challenges unfold, from all sides, and look forward to adding real value to our clients. ZEDRA offers a unique working environment of resource and support, as well as autonomy, and I'm excited to embark on this journey as part of the team." 

He previously spent 28 years at Pinsent Masons LLP as a solicitor, going on to chair the Association of Pension Lawyers. He finished his time there as a partner running the firm's independent trustee and pension scheme secretarial business. 

Lombard Odier Investment Managers  

Lombard Odier Investment Managers has appointed Jason Eck as head of investor relations for North America to bolster the firm's client service and business development efforts with clients in this market. 

The appointment is part of LOIM's ongoing strategic growth plan to further increase market share in North America.

He joins LOIM from Goldman Sachs, where he spent over 18 years in senior Sales and Client Services roles within the Prime Services business.  

He was responsible for the business development efforts in Canada for the last decade, and also most recently headed the SMA allocator business in North America. Jason joined LOIM on 30 October. Based in New York, Jason will report to Jasbir Nizar, Global Head of Business Development at LOIM. 

In his new role at LOIM, Jason will lead the New York investor relations team in developing new and existing client relationships across North America, further strengthen the LOIM brand in the region, and help drive strategic initiatives for the asset management business.

Nizar said: "We are delighted to welcome Jason to LOIM. We are at an exciting point in the firm's strategic growth plan in North America, as we continue to increase market share and establish new partnerships. We are confident that Jason will help drive LOIM's growth ambitions forward."

Iceberg Data Lab 

Iceberg Data Lab (IDL), the independent green fintech providing science-based environmental data solutions for financial institutions, has appointed Sophie Pruvost as head of sales and Guillaume Coutant as head of IDL's ESG Analysts team. 

Both will play pivotal roles in serving clients and driving development opportunities based on clients' needs and the increased demand for IDL's products in both the UK and across Europe. 

Pruvost will lead IDL's sales team, identifying and analysing market trends, developing sales strategies, and building upon client relationships, as the firm sees more institutions choosing IDL as their primary ESG data provider. With over 15 years' experience working in finance and ESG, Pruvost joins from ISS, where she most recently held the position of Executive Director and Head of Responsible Investment and Institutional Sales for France & Southern Europe. In this role, Sophie led ISS' ESG and Governance Sales team. 

Coutant will support existing and prospective clients at IDL towards their sustainable transition journeys, by harnessing the power of IDL's market-leading products to provide in-depth analysis of quality, transparent and accurate ESG data (including Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions). Coutant joins from Emvest Partners where he was Partner and Capital Markets Analyst & Advisor. In this role, he produced ESG research reports, combining ESG metrics and technical analysis to provide trade recommendations, as well as designing ESG strategy audits to assist investment portfolio reviews.

Matthieu Maurin, co-founder and CEO of Iceberg Data Lab, said: "We're thrilled to welcome Sophie and Guillaume to the management team at Iceberg Data Lab, who both bring valuable expertise to our dynamic team. Their collective experience across ESG and financial services will enable us to enhance our offering and client experience at IDL and bolster our expansion efforts. Their arrival marks a significant leap forward in our growth journey and ensures we remain at the forefront of innovation in ESG data provision, as we continue to rapidly expand our capabilities and client base. 

Lockton

Lockton, the world's largest independent insurance broker, welcomes Johan Frithioff as a senior hire in its Sweden office. This is part of the ongoing expansion of its compelling proposition to clients in the Nordic region. Johan is the final founding member of the senior team, with Lockton Sweden now poised to build its presence and footprint in the region. 

He brings over two decades of leadership experience in the Swedish market to his new role. He joins after 22 years at Howden Insurance Brokers where, most recently, he held the role of Deputy Managing Director. Prior this this, he served as a broker at Aon for over a decade. 

This appointment represents the latest in a series of key leadership hires as part of Lockton's growth strategy in the Nordic region. In September, Lockton expanded its risk advisory and insurance brokerage services in Norway. The business is now well positioned to attract and invest in the market's leading talent as it continues to scale its businesses. Lockton will be looking to continue to make a series of senior hires in the coming months, to support existing clients and a strong pipeline of future prospects. 

EJ Hentenaar, CEO of Lockton Europe, said: "The opportunity for Lockton in Sweden is profound and we are at a very exciting inflection point for our business in the region. Johan joining us means the firm foundations for sustained success are now in place, and we could not have asked for a better team to realise our ambitions. We are committed to building on these foundations and becoming an employer of choice in the region by investing in and attracting the very best talent, who share our entrepreneurial spirit, client-centric mindset and focus on exceptional service.

"Lockton Sweden is a part of a dynamic regional team serving corporate clients across the Nordics, collaborating closely with our teams in Denmark and Norway. We are looking forward to seizing the many opportunities the region presents, delivering best-in-market client solutions, and we will build a world class team to do so."