He joins from third party funds distributor Selinca, which has worked on the group’s behalf for the past two years.
Neuberger Berman said his appointment cements its commitment to the client base in these key markets.
Nunez de Villavicencio brings more than 30 years’ investment experience including a decade at BNP Paribas Investment Partners in Madrid.
He will report to Dik van Lomwel, head of EMEA and Latin America.
Prior to BNP Paribas Investment Partners, he worked at JP Morgan, first as head of equity sales in Madrid before moving to head international equity sales in New York.
Recognising the Spanish and Portuguese appetite for higher-yielding investment solutions with capital preservation, Nunez de Villavicencio said he looks forward to building on the momentum already gained across the region.
van Lomwel said: “As we deepen and strengthen our client base in these key markets it is important to have experienced professionals with local expertise. Javier has been representing us for two years in an external capacity and we look forward to bringing him in-house.”