People moves: Hawksford, River and Mercantile, Int'l Stock Exchange, Just Group

Hawksford
Hawksford has further strengthened its global corporate service capabilities with the appointment of Rebecca Cox as Associate Director in its London office.

Cox brings over 15 years' experience in providing corporate and financial reporting services to international clients. Rebecca's focus will be building on Hawksford's existing client base and ensuring the team delivers a comprehensive suite of corporate and financial reporting services to UK based structures. Rebecca's background in providing corporate services to institutional and multinational corporations will further enhance Hawksford UK's international expertise, complementing the traditional corporate services offering currently provided.

Most recently Rebecca was associate director of UK corporate services at IQ-EQ, having joined First Names Group in 2014. She was instrumental in establishing First Names Group's international outsourcing business service in the UK and has also held positions with Moore Stephens and CRA International.

"With Rebecca's appointment we have the capability to consolidate our market position and attract a wider pool of corporate clients to our international business. This is an exciting time; we have a great deal of optimism in the international corporate space and can offer a highly skilled and professional service for clients wishing to access the UK market," said Steven Landes, Hawksford's managing director for corporate services for the UK.

River and Mercantile
River and Mercantile has today announced that Roger Lewis has joined the Group in a new role as its group head of ESG. 

Lewis will be responsible for implementing and overseeing the group's ESG philosophy and core principles across its various investment divisions and integrating these important factors within the firm's investment processes and asset management activities.  The coordination of these important factors horizontally across our businesses and vertically into our corporate responsibilities is an important and key development. 

Lewis previously worked at Aviva Investors, where responsibilities included aligning ESG strategy and factors with investment functions across its £47.3bn Real Assets platform, which invests in property, infrastructure and private debt. Prior to this, Roger held roles at Legal & General Investment Management and J.P. Morgan.

Group chief executive James Barham, speaking of the appointment, said: "We welcome Roger's appointment which underscores our commitment to place environmental, social and governance factors at the heart of everything we do. ESG has been a key part of our investment thinking for many years as has our clients' interest and awareness of the importance of sustainable investing. This appointment will enable us to enhance our commitments and continue to deliver exciting ESG investment opportunities to both current and future clients."

International Stock Exchange
The International Stock Exchange (TISE) has appointed Anthony Byrne to the new role of head of bond markets.

Based in Ireland and operating across primarily Dublin and London, Mr Byrne joins The International Stock Exchange Group (TISEG) from today [1 February] having previously held senior executive positions at both the Irish Stock Exchange and Euronext.

Cees Vermaas, CEO of TISEG, said: "I am very pleased to welcome Anthony to TISE. We are already well positioned as a leading exchange in Europe for listed debt securities but Anthony brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in business development within debt capital markets. His contribution to our team will be hugely valuable to us as we look to grow our market share and expand our reach internationally."

Byrne has nearly 15 years' experience working in a stock exchange business development and client relationship capacity with particular expertise in international primary bond markets. He holds a degree in Law from the National University of Ireland, a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Services and Securitisation from the Dublin Institute of Technology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from BPP University, London.

Byrne said: "I am delighted to join TISE. I have been closely watching TISE's impressive growth trajectory over the last number of years, particularly in the bond market, and I am excited about contributing my expertise to its ambitious plans for further growth and international expansion. 

"Having spent nearly 15 years developing and promoting the international bond market offerings of two leading European Exchanges, I see significant scope to expand TISE's bond proposition into a truly global product. While the EU and UK are at a significant crossroads, TISE will continue to provide certainty to bond market stakeholders by providing pragmatic regulation and a responsive, innovative listing and trading venue."

"I'm looking forward to getting started and to introducing my worldwide network of debt capital market relationships to TISE's global bond offering."

Just Group
Paul Fulcher has been appointed as group capital and investment executive at Just Group.

Fulcher joins Just Group plc today as Group Capital and Investment Executive, reporting to Group CEO David Richardson and joining the Group's executive committee.

He was previously principal at Milliman LLP, a life and financial services consulting firm. He led Milliman's team focussed on Asset-Liability Management and Capital Management and is widely recognised across the sector as one of the leading experts in these fields.

Before Milliman he spent six years working at Nomura as managing director, leading their ALM Structuring and Insurance Solutions team for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Prior to Nomura he worked for RBS in their Global Markets business as MD and head of their Financial Institutions Risk Advisory team.

David Richardson, group chief executive, said: "Paul has a tremendous wealth of very relevant skills and experience combined with valuable external perspective gathered from across the industry."

"I am confident he will make an immediate contribution, bringing energy and ideas that will accelerate our ambitions to further improve our capital position and investment capabilities."