The start of 2022 has come loaded with appointments in international managers. Signings that allow us to glimpse the strategic areas in which foreign firms are positioning themselves. Here we review some announcements that have flown under the radar.
We have seen movements in important positions. For example, Nuveen, TIAA’s investment manager, has appointed Director of Investments to Saira Malik. Malik will conduct market and investment analysis to provide clients with insight into asset allocation by the firm’s independent investment teams. The new CIO will also lead the firm’s Global Investment Committee, which brings together the most senior leaders of Nuveen’s investment teams.
As has been the norm in the last two years, managers are concentrating their hiring efforts on sustainability. Schroders, for example, has appointed Tim Goodman as head of Corporate Governance. Goodman will focus on further develop engagement and use of voting rights of Schroders in matters of corporate governance at a global level. He has 29 years of experience in the ESG arena, as well as responsible investors and business organizations in general.
Reinforcements in management teams
It has also been a month of reinforcement in the management teams.
Groupama Asset Management seeks growth in private market fixed income. For this, he has recruited Emmanuel Daull as responsible for the unlisted debt. “This new position paves the way for the building a team of specialists dedicated to this class of assets”, they explain. Daull’s mission is to structure a team of experienced specialists, design the range of funds and ensure their promotion and development. The universe of issuers of the first fund should mainly include companies with turnover between 50 and 500 million euros. The entire range of funds will be characterized by a strong ESG impact dimension.
In fixed income, MainFirst has also chosen to expand its capabilities in emerging market corporate debt. The manager has strengthened the team with the addition of Andranik Safaryan as team leader and a junior portfolio manager. Safaryan has a fundamental bottom-up management approach that he enriches with his knowledge of local conditions in different emerging markets.
Natixis IM has also grown in emerging markets. DNCA Finance, an affiliate of the manager, has hired David Park as the new senior manager of international portfolios. Park, from Carmignac, is specialized in emerging markets. He will join Matthieu Belondrade’s portfolio management team managing the DNCA Global Emerging Equity fund alongside Belondrade and Alexandre Carrier.
For its part, Robeco has announced the appointment of Natalie Falkman as chief manager of the RobecoSAM Circular Economy Equities. The strategy focuses on solution providers in the fields of input redesign, circular use, enabling technologies and loop resources. This diversified strategy is enhanced with proprietary ESG risk analysis.
Bets on commercial and marketing teams
And the departments beyond pure management are also growing. Carmignac has appointed Martial Godet as global sales manager. In this role, Godet will be responsible for directing Carmignac’s distribution strategy. He will join the Carmignac Strategic Development Committee and will report to Eric Helderlé.
For its part, BNP Paribas AM has strengthened its commercial and marketing teams with two appointments. Roger Miners, current general manager of the manager in the United Kingdom, has been promoted to director of Sales for Europe. Paul Van Eynde has succeeded him as Global Marketing Director.
Mediolanum International Funds has also been strengthened in commercial matters. The manager has appointed Luca Matassino as new business director Of the entity. In his new position, Matassino’s priority will be to accelerate the firm’s growth in its main markets. He will also focus on the client experience, working closely with distributors and their financial advisors, coordinating a team of experienced professionals tasked with developing innovative new products, evolving existing investment solutions, and defining communication and marketing campaigns. specific internal and external companies in key markets. Matassino will report directly to the manager’s CEO, Furio Pietribiasi.