Quilter Investors

Quilter Investors, the multi-asset investment business of Quilter, has enhanced its Responsible Investment team with two new hires.

Jonathan De Pasquallie has joined as a responsible investment analyst from KPMG in the Crown Dependencies, where he provided investors with environmental, social and governance (ESG) due diligence as well as assisting them with approaches to climate risk and decarbonisation strategies. 

At Quilter Investors, De Pasquallie will support enhancements being made to ESG integration and reporting and help lead active ownership activities.

Meanwhile, Chris Wu has joined the business as a Responsible Investment Quantitative Analyst. Wu was most recently a Research Officer at the London School of Economics and has a decade of experience in applied data science. With a PhD in Urban Studies, Wu will help the business utilise data and technology in its responsible investment decision making and conduct detailed research within the sector.

The Responsible Investment team at Quilter Investors is part of the extended manager research hub the business launched at the end of last year to enhance its fund manager research capabilities. The hub is formed of three teams: Manager Selection; Operational Due Diligence; and the Responsible Investment team.

Marisol Hernandez joined Quilter Investors in October last year to lead the Responsible Investment team. The team also features Nikki Williamson, a Responsible Investment Analyst, and Will Miller, a Responsible Investment Quantitative Analyst, who have utilised their specialist knowledge to help embed responsible investment into the business to date.

The team is responsible for the development and implementation of the responsible investment policy in the investment process and across the business, as well as active stewardship of clients' assets by engaging with underlying fund managers on an ongoing basis.

Marisol Hernandez, head of responsible investment at Quilter Investors, said: "Responsible investment has become such a critical component of everything we do at Quilter Investors. The addition of a data scientist and an experienced responsible investment consultant brings an advanced set of skills to scale up the work already being done by the existing team, as we continue to work with our fund managers and distribution partners to meet customer and regulatory needs. 

"Given the increase in regulatory requirements in responsible investment, we want to give advisers and investors the confidence that their objectives are being met and their money is being managed in line with their needs and regulations. Having a strong and well-resourced responsible investment team is a positive step in providing that support and expertise for our clients.

"I am really pleased we have constructed a strong team that has both deep understanding and experience of the sector as well as the business and I look forward to us shaping an ambitious and pragmatic responsible investment position for Quilter Investors."

Spring Capital Partners 

Spring Capital Partners has appointed Peter Slack to the position of regional sales manager, as the independent funds' distribution partner looks to expand its presence in the North of England and Scotland.

Based in Manchester, Slack joins Spring Capital from T. Rowe Price, where he worked for seven years, with responsibility for developing relationships with discretionary fund managers and investment intermediaries in the North of England and Ireland; he had earlier been responsible for Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Northern Ireland. Slack's career includes three years with AXA Investment Managers as a discretionary sales manager and six years with Schroders Investment Management as head of its broker sales desk.

Slack will add strength and depth to the six person UK sales team and take Spring Capital's total UK-based employee head count to 16. His appointment follows hot on the heels of that of Delphine Kadel as Managing Director, Germany & Austria, and Christian Nilsson as Managing Director, Nordics, with Spring looking to extend its distribution footprint in mainland Europe, as well as its UK core.

Over the best part of two decades, Spring Capital has been working with a select group of boutique fund managers, helping to bring them to the attention of fund buyers and asset allocators. Working with each from their earliest days, Spring has helped to build the total assets under management of its fund manager partners to more than £7bn.

Spring Capital director, Justin Eede said: "We have enjoyed tremendous growth with Chelverton, Evenlode, and Zennor. Their respective market-leading propositions are now firmly established amongst fund buyers and asset allocators alike. 

"As activity levels rise, we are determined to build on our reputation for service excellence and ease of access. We are therefore delighted to have Peter on board as we invest in the next phase of our development as an independent distribution partner."

Stonehage Fleming

Stonehage Fleming has made a series of promotions across its Jersey and Isle of Man offices. 

In the Jersey Family Office division, Bev Stewart has been promoted to partner. She has over 19 years' investment banking and financial services experience and works with a number of Stonehage Fleming's international high-net-worth clients. She provides advice and support to families and their advisors around the globe, aiding the management and coordination of their financial needs.

She joined the Group as a Director in 2020 from Absa Bank Limited in South Africa.

Also, in the Jersey Family Office division Leigh Driscoll and Monika Osiak Faria have been promoted to associate director, and Larni Sobere to senior associate. 

In the Jersey Group Corporate, Legal and Tax Advisory division, Leanne Stuart has been promoted to associate director.

In the Isle of Man Family Office division Samantha Andrews, Keri Breadner and Tessa Burrows have been promoted to associate director.

Greg Harris, head of family office Stonehage Fleming UK and Channel Islands, said: "We are delighted to recognise the outstanding achievements and contributions of our team members in these regions. 

"These promotions demonstrate our commitment to fostering talent, creating opportunities for professional growth, and commitment to meeting the evolving needs of the world's leading families and wealth creators. It also brings us great pleasure to welcome Bev on becoming Partner in Jersey. Since joining in 2020, she has been an invaluable addition to the team and to the families she advises." 

Natixis Investment Management

Natixis Investment Managers (Natixis IM) has promoted Constance Clerc to head of business enhancement based in Paris.  She will report to Fabrice Chemouny, Natixis IM head of international distribution.  

In this newly created position, she will play a strategic role in driving the key business functions supporting Natixis IM's international distribution efforts and that of its 15 plus investment affiliates.  She will be responsible for overseeing Product, Marketing, RFP as well as International Product-Legal teams.  

Fabrice Chemounyv said; "Over the course of her 7 years with the firm, Constance has demonstrated a deep understanding of the business and its strategic priorities and what is required to deliver excellent service to clients.  Working alongside the different business units and hand in hand with our investment affiliates, I am confident that together we can enhance our offering to investors and expand our distribution capabilities".    

Clerc joined Natixis IM in September 2016 and has held a number of different roles most recently as head of strategy and sales management for international distribution.  Prior to this she spent six years in management consulting with BearingPoint advising Banks and Insurers on their retail distribution strategy.  She started her career at Oddo & Cie in corporate development.  

"I'm excited to be given the opportunity to work with so many teams across the business and execute on our strategy to further develop our presence, by providing more added value to our customers and distributors around the globe.  Working collectively, I have no doubt that we will be able to enhance our offering and speed to market, supporting our distribution teams globally," said Clerc.  
 
Channel Capital Advisors

Channel Capital Advisors LLP (Channel) has hired Nate Hartley as its new head of origination for the Americas.
Established in 2007, Channel is an FCA-regulated alternative investment fund manager (AIFM). It is a recognised funding partner of choice in the working capital and fintech lending sector, having facilitated over $10bn of transactions since 2014. 

Headquartered in London, the company works with partners across Europe and the US. Hartley, who will be based in California, will help drive the company's growth in the Americas.

Hartley has more than 20 years' experience in financial services and capital markets. His career began with Credit Suisse First Boston in 2001. After graduating from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, he later rose to the position of Director, Emerging Markets Trading at Barclays.

Between 2015 and 2022, Hartley was the CEO of Advance Global Capital, a global impact investment management company based in the UK which specialises in SME financing. Most recently, he worked as CFO at Crowdz, a fintech company focused on helping SMEs improve their cash flow. 

Hartley will source new funding partnerships for Channel in the Americas, ensuring more fintechs and SME lenders are able to leverage Channel's funding, technology, and expertise to fast-track their own growth. 

Channel has completed several notable deals already this year, including a mezzanine funding facility for TP24 and a €230 million credit facility for Silvr, both leading European fintech lending platforms.

Hartley said: "Channel has built an excellent business and reputation in the market. Agile and innovative funding solutions are more important than ever in the current economic climate, so there is great potential for Channel to expand its footprint into new markets, and I am really excited to help drive this in the Americas."

Walter Gontarek, CEO of Channel, added: "We are delighted to welcome Nate to the team. This is an exciting time for Channel as we experience significant growth, and Nate will no doubt fuel this further. He brings with him a wealth of experience, and Channel is proud to have a locally based professional to develop and serve our US clients."

Aviva Investors 

Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva plc, announces it has strengthened its Real Assets Research team with the appointment of Viktor Dietrich as research director and Rebecca Crocker as research analyst.
 
Both will report directly to David Hedalen, Head of Real Assets Research at Aviva Investors, as part of a seven-person team. 
 
Dietrich joins Aviva Investors from Patrizia where he worked as an Equity Analyst within its listed infrastructure team. He has seven years of industry experience, having started his career at Timbercreek Asset Management in Zurich as part of its Global Real Estate Securities team, where he focused on UK and European real estate stocks.

He returns to Aviva Investors following two years spent in the firm's Global REIT team between 2019 and 2021. Viktor holds a MSc in Economic History from London School of Economics, a MA in Accounting and Finance and a BA in Business Administration from the University of St.Gallen.

Crocker joins Aviva Investors from American Express, having spent the last six months as a Senior Financial Analyst focused on Investment Optimisation. Prior to this, she spent three years as a DC Investment Analyst at Hymans Robertson, and holds a First Class Honours in Civil Engineering from the University of Surrey and is a CFA Charterholder.

David Hedalen, head of real assets research at Aviva Investors, said: "We are very happy to welcome both Rebecca and Viktor to the Real Assets Research team and to Aviva Investors. Their appointments show our ability to attract talent from across the industry and our peer group, and speaks volumes for the dynamism and growth of our Real Assets division. 

"I believe the experience Rebecca and Viktor offer from across asset classes, geographies and investor groups will be invaluable as we continue to support the innovative investment strategies and products across the full breadth of the business."

Evelyn Partners 

Evelyn Partners, the leading integrated wealth management and professional services group has appointed Will Thompson as a financial planning director in its Bristol office. 

Thompson joins Evelyn Partners from Rathbones where he spent the past three and a half years as a senior financial planner. 

Prior to that he worked for 11 years at Old Mill where he was associate director.  He has experience advising high net worth individuals, families and trustees in a range of planning and tax-based areas.

Richard Mikdadi, managing partner in Evelyn Partners' Bristol office said: "We are delighted that the Bristol office continues to attract talent of Will's calibre from the local market. We are confident that his appointment is another boost to an already exceptionally strong financial planning team."