Bill Maldonado has been named as the chief executive of the firm’s asset management business, Eastspring Investments.

Maldonado has been serving as interim chief executive since April this year and, having joined Eastspring Investments in September 2021, has been chief investment officer since May 2022.

Prior to joining Eastspring, Maldonado served as the Asia Pacific chief investment officer and global chief investment officer for equities at HSBC Global Asset Management.

A chief investment officer for Eastspring Investments will be appointed in due course.

RBC Wealth Management

The wealth manager has appointed Rod Ireland as interim head of RBC Wealth Management Asia.

This in addition to his current role as head of global markets Apac for RBC Capital Markets.

He replaces Terence Chow, who has left RBC.

Redington

The independent investment consultancy firm has appointed Gavin Howard as chief financial officer.

With more than 30 years’ experience in financial services, he has been chief financial officer at both IFG Group and Nucleus Financial, as well as having held senior executive positions at firms including Partnership Assurance and Octopus Lifestyle.

Brooks Macdonald

The wealth manager has appointed Henrietta Walker as head of the investment specialist team.

She joins Brooks Macdonald from her senior associate partner role at Sarasin & Partners, where she was deputy portfolio manager of its MPS.

Close Brothers Asset Management (CBAM)

Chris Hutchinson has joined the firm as senior investment manager.

He previously worked at Investec Wealth and Investment.

Janus Henderson Investors

The asset manager has made multiple hires in its Asia distribution team.

Alexis Lavergne has joined the investment manager as investment specialist for fixed income, while Andrew Cox has joined as investment specialist for equity. Both are newly created roles and are based in Singapore.

Meanwhile, Stephanie Joeson and Keith Chan have joined in Hong Kong as director and sales manager for intermediary sales respectively.

Lavergne joins Janus Henderson from H2O Asset Management, where he was client portfolio manager responsible for global macro fixed income and currencies strategies.

Meanwhile, Cox has joined Janus Henderson following a brief sabbatical. He previously served as head of investor relations and corporate development at real estate firm Globalworth.

Meanwhile, Joeson joins from Invesco, where she was senior manager for intermediary sales covering private bank distributions. She previously worked at Income Partners Asset Management and Citibank.

Chan was mostly recently an associate in the financial institutions group at Lazard Asset Management. He also worked at Bank J Safra Sarasin.

JM Finn

The investment manager has named Lucy Coutts as head of its York office.

Coutts, who has been at JM Finn since 2011, takes over as head of the recently relocated York office, effective immediately.

The bank has announced that chief executive Peter Flavel will step down with immediate effect, following his role in the handling of Nigel Farage’s case.

Mohammad Kamal Syed will step into the role as interim chief executive of Coutts and the wealth businesses, subject to approvals.

Strabens Hall

The wealth manager has promoted Alex Stephens to chief operating officer.

Stephens has been with Strabens Hall for 9 months and was previously head of operations.

Prior to that he worked at the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

Natixis Investment Managers

The investment manager has promoted Patrick Sobotta to regional head of Germany, Austria and Central and Eastern Europe and executive managing director.

He will be responsible for the retail, wholesale and institutional activities within those regions. Sobotta will report to Fabrice Chemouny, executive vice president and head of international sales.

Elsewhere, Erik Crawford will join as senior sales director in August.

The firm has also promoted Constance Clerc as head of business enhancement based in Paris.

Clerc joined Natixis in 2016 and was previously head of strategy and sales management for international distribution.

The Exit Partnership

The wealth manager has hired Dave Robinson as head of internal exits.

He will spearhead guidance and advice to retiring IFAs considering a management buy out (MBO) or employee ownership trust (EOT).

BlackRock

The investment manager has appointed Mandy Lui as head of greater China wealth and Dennis Quah as head of Singapore wealth.

Lui will join in mid-August in Hong Kong and will focus on developing relationships with distributors in the greater China refioin.

She joins from Baring Asset Management where she was head of wealth and retail distribution for greater China and southeast Asia.

Quah has joined this month and will focus on building relationships with consumer banks, private banks and insurers.

He has previously worked at Columbia Threadneedle and Schroders.

Schroders

The asset manager has made several changes across its Asia Pacific team.

The current Apac head of client group, Szu Yi Chin will become head of wealth for Apac.

While, Katherine Cox who has been the firm’s Apac head of strategic clients, product and private banks, has now been appointed as its global head of long-term asset owners.

In another move, Lily Choh, the firm’s chief executive for Singapore, has had a broadening of her role to oversee Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and India as head of south Asia.

Similarly, the firm’s Hong Kong chief executive and Apac head of strategy, Gopi Mirchandani, has been named head of north Asia. Her area of focus will now include Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. She will also retain her role as head of strategy for Apac.

Chris Durack, who is currently head of Apac, as well as Karine Szenberg, head of Europe and global head of product and marketing, have been appointed co-heads of Schroders’ client group.

Stonehage Fleming

The family office has made a series of promotions across the London office.

In the family office division Jack Henderson and Anna Wetherell have been promoted to associate director while Francesca Maule and Eleanor Sowerbutts to manager and Edward Durgan to senior associate.

Within investment management, James Cook has been promoted to director, Mark Leshnick, Archie Burt and Miki Caves to associate director, and Ross Elliott to manager.

Robyn Bramwell has been promoted to director in corporate, legal and tax advisory.

In group services, Peter Rogerson has been promoted to director, Hannah Berry to associate director, with Claire Main and Oliver Taylor promoted to senior associate.

JM Finn

The wealth manager has promoted Todd Babington to head of operations following the retirement of Frank Reardon.

Babington has been with the firm for five years , he has previously worked at Arbuthnot Latham and HSBC Private Bank.

JTC

The wealth manager has appointed Helena Storjohann as director in its Geneva office, where she will be responsible for a portfolio of clients and trusts

Prior to JTC, Storjohann was at Julius Baer, where she was a wealth planner.

DFSA

The Dubai Financial Services Authority announced that Swee Lian Tee will be stepping down from its board of directors on 31 August.

Teo has served on the board for six years as the chair of the board’s risk committee and as a member of the governance and nominations committee and Emirati working group.

Fiera Capital

The asset manager has appointed Mandy Adamou as managing director, head of consultant relations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Adamou will chair the firms Global Consultant Committee and will report to Klaus Schuster.

Prior to this role, she was managing director, global head of consultant relations at a global asset manager in London.

Close Brothers

The asset manager has hired Nic Heath as senior investment director.

He will provide bespoke investment management services for private clients, trusts, charities and pension schemes.

Heath has previously worked at Barclays Wealth and Investec W&I.

Rathbones

The investment manager has appointed Lynsey Carson as business development director.

She will be responsible for enhancing Rathbones’ partnership with adviser businesses across Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Carson joins from LGT Wealth Management where she was business development director and has also held senior positions at Coutts, RBS and NatWest.

Aviva Investors

The global asset manager has appointed Viktor Dietrich as research director and Rebecca Crocker as research analyst.

Both will report to David Hedalen, head of real assets research as part of a seven person team.

Dietrich was previously at Patrizia where we worked as an equity analyst while Crocker joins from American Express as a senior financially analyst.

Ben Bulmer has been named as chief financial officer at the global financial services group.

Bulmer is currently chief financial officer of insurance and asset management at the company.

He succeeds James Turner, who has resigned as chief financial officer in light of an investigation into a code of conduct issue relating to a recent recruitment situation.

Prudential said: “The group sets itself high standards and Mr Turner fell short on this occasion. Mr Turner will remain available to the group for a period of four months to support a smooth transition.

“There are no implications for the financial performance, reporting or operations of the business.”

FIM Capital

The Isle of Man-based wealth firm has promoted David Bushe as chief executive.

He previously was investment director at the company.

Prior to FIM Capital, he was a director at Ravenscroft Group.

Novia Financial

The platform business has brought together its operations and technology teams under the direction of Eden Scrivenger, who takes on the expanded role of chief technology and operations officer.

Scrivenger, who joined the platform in August last year, will be supported by newly appointed operations director, Julie Gawthorpe, who joins from pensions administration provider Diligenta.

FWD Group

Sid Sankaran has been named as managing director and group chief financial officer, effective 1 September 2023, subject to regulatory approval.

Sankaran will join the company as senior adviser from 1 June 2023.

He will succeed Jon Nielsen, who will be pursuing a career opportunity in North America.

GBST

The global wealthtech company has hired Simon Clare as head of product innovation.

Before joining GBST, Clare was chief product officer at FE Fundinfo.

Isio

The pension consultancy firm has promoted Emily McGuire to lead its investment advisory team.

McGuire, previously at Aon, joined Isio in May 2022.

She takes on the role from Nick Evans, who is turning his focus to client development, exploring new opportunities to diversify and grow the business.

JM Finn

Rebecca Dawkins has joined the wealth manager as an associate wealth planner.

Before joining JM Finn, she was at London Wall Partners and prior to that at Saunderson House.

Marlborough

The fund manager has appointed Kevin Addison as head of UK wholesale and institutional funds distribution.

Addison joins from Downing Fund Managers, where he was head of sales and distribution. Before that, he was head of funds distribution at Brooks Macdonald.

Old Mill

The wealth manager has promoted chartered accountant Jamie Rudge and compliance director Duncan Parkes as technical partners.

The promotions bring the total number of partners to 25.

The global wealth tech provider announced that its chief executive John Wise has left the company.

Richard Lumb, a current director on the InvestCloud board has been appointed interim chief executive.

The board also has initiated a search for a permanent chief executive.

Eastspring Investments

The Asia-based asset management business of life insurer Prudential has appointed Bill Maldonado as its interim chief executive.

Maldonado’s appointment follows the retirement of former chief executive Wai-Kwong Seck, who had held the post for four years.

Seck will stay on at the asset management firm until the end of June to support Maldonado and the team in the transition.

Maldonado, who joined the firm in August 2021 as its chief investment officer, will retain this role to “focus on investment performance”.

Prior to joining Eastspring, Maldonado served as both the Asia Pacific and global chief investment officer for equities at HSBC Global Asset Management.

Responding to queries from our sister publication Fund Selector Asia on when the firm is looking to appoint a permanent chief executive, Eastspring said: “We are undertaking a thorough process to ensure that we find the right candidate for the business and will provide more information at the appropriate time.”

Kingswood

Paul Hammick has joined the international wealth and investment management group as chief risk officer.

He has over 26 years of experience in financial services, previously working at Lloyds Banking Group.

Shard Capital

The wealth and asset manager has appointed James Bushell as head of operations.

Bushell brings 28 years of financial services experience having held roles with Walker Cripps, Lloyds Bank Stockbrokers, Brewin Dolphin and Fiske.

JM Finn

The UK wealth firm has recruited Danny Szabo as an investment manager.

Prior to joining JM Finn, he managed discretionary assets on behalf of private clients and intermediaries at Atomos.

Bespoke Wealth

The UK advice firm has promoted Danielle Pearce to head of financial planning, according to her Linkedin profile.
Pearce was previously head of paraplanning.

JP Morgan Private Bank

The banking giant has hired Kenneth Yeo as ultra-high net worth team lead for southeast Asia, based in Singapore.

Yeo joins from independent asset manager Lighthouse Canton, where he spent just three months as managing director and senior client partner.

Franklin Templeton

The financial services firm has appointed Benjarong Techamuanvivit as its head of Thailand.

Techamuanvivit’s role is newly created and comes as Franklin Templeton looks to expand its presence in Thailand.

It added that the appointment is subject to the approval of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) as she will be based in Singapore.

Prior to joining Franklin Templeton, she served as the deputy managing director and head of corporate strategy for product, digital and marketing at Eastspring Asset Management (Thailand).

Guinness Global Investors

The investment firm has hired Dennis Mehrtens as head of sales in Germany.

He was most recently managing director for the Dach region at Fiera Capital.

Waverton Investment Management

The DFM firm has made four hires to its Glasgow office.

The team, led by Graeme Brock and Roger Haxton, join from Evelyn Partners where they were both Partners. They are joined by Lauren Craig and Charlotte Ayre.

Brock and Haxton join Waverton as portfolio managers and directors.

Craig has been named as a portfolio manager focusing on running portfolios as well as managing client relationships. Ayre completes the team of four as the team assistant.

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

HM Treasury has announced the appointment of Sophie Hutcherson to the board of the UK regulator.

Hutcherson has 30 years’ experience in financial services having worked as senior adviser to the chief executive at Wells Fargo and held various senior positions at Deutsche Bank UK.

Barnett Waddingham

The pension consultancy firm has named Mark Smith as an independent non-executive director to its self-invested personal pension (Sipp) business board.

Smith has over 35 years’ experience in financial services and the personal pensions industry. He spent 10 years at Mattioli Woods as a main PLC board director, departing as chief operating officer in 2018.

Canada Life

The insurance giant has appointed Tim Coulson as managing director of bulk purchase annuities.

Coulson was most recently at Just Group, where he built and led its defined benefit de-risking business.

The office will be headed by former UBS Wealth Management executive director Andrew Aitken, who has been JM Finn regional lead for Yorkshire since 2016.

He said: “We will always meet clients where is most convenient for them but we also recognise that other client advisers require accessibility, so with that in mind, we felt the need to have an office that worked for both, whilst also giving us space to expand as we look to grow the team.”

Hugo Bedford, JM Finn chief executive, added: “We are delighted to open the office in York. Being able to work with a new office development has meant we have been able to create a fantastic space for our staff and clients, built to a high sustainability standard and in a terrific location.  I’m excited for all the team in Yorkshire and for the opportunity they have to get closer to our clients and position themselves as the local wealth management firm.”

The York office is the London-headquartered firm’s fourth regional office, adding to its hubs in Bristol, Bury St Edmunds, and Winchester.

Investment director and deputy head of the office Lucy Coutts also welcomed the move, saying it presents an opportunity for further developing client relationships.

She said: “This move is a great opportunity to further our network and deepen some relationships, of which we have many, in North Yorkshire. We look forward to showcasing our new home to our local clients and contacts.”

As of the end of 2022, the wealth manager had funds under management and administration of £10.2bn ($12.4bn, €11.6bn) on behalf of 18,500 clients.

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