Vontobel
After 22 years at the Swiss financial services giant, Zeno Staub will step down as chief executive at the next shareholders general meeting on 9 April 2024, in order to become more actively involved in Swiss civil society.
Staub’s successor as chief executive is to be determined by the end of 2023.
Also, Felix Lenhard, chief operating officer and a member of the executive committee of
Vontobel Holding AG and of Bank Vontobel AG, will step down from his role at the end of 2023.
This will allow him, among other things, to devote more time to his family in the future.
His successor will be determined by the end of 2023.
Lazard Asset Management
Middle East chief executive Farah Foustok is leaving her role at the asset manager, a spokesperson has confirmed.
Foustok joined the firm in 2014.
Fadi El Haddad will assume responsible for Middle East operations in the interim.
Progeny
The financial planning group has named Sam Murton as chief operating officer.
She has been working with Progeny as a consultant since 2022.
Murton has worked with a diverse range of businesses and sectors, including Aegon, easyJet, Three, Orange (EE) and Next.
Sesame Bankhall Group
Paul Wilson has been appointed as chief operating officer at the adviser network.
Wilson joins from Aviva, where he was chief marketing officer at Aviva.
Currently a non-executive director of SBG’s board, Wilson will officially start his new role on 3 July.
He replaces Richard Howells, who left the business.
Weatherbys
Chief executive Roger Weatherby is to step up to the role of chairman at the banking group.
Roger Weatherby, who was appointed chief executive in 2000, will take over from current chairman David Bellamy.
Bellamy will step down in March 2024 after six years in the role.
Quentin Marshall, the current managing director of Weatherbys Bank, will take over as chief executive of Weatherbys Banking Group from September 2023.
Armstrong Watson Financial Planning
Stewart Crockett has been appointed managing director and partner of the advice firm.
Crockett joins Armstrong Watson after 23 years with Close Brothers Asset Management, where he was managing director.
The firm also announced senior financial planning manager Justin Rourke has been promoted to financial planning director – head of advice.
Walker Crips Investment Management
Alan Kinnaird has joined the company as business development manager.
He has worked in financial services for 27 years, with the last three years as a senior private banker at Kleinwort Hambros Private Bank.
Matthews Asia
Beonca Yip has joined the investment management firm as head of Asia Pacific.
Yip previously led the distribution and client service teams at China Asset Management, where she was managing director, head of global client group.
Morgan Stanley Investment Management
Michael Levin will be joining the company as head of Asia.
The role is a newly created position and Levin is expected to join the firm in July.
Levin has been in the industry for over 25 years and was most recently managing director at Goldman Sachs Asset Management.
Lombard Odier
The international wealth and asset manager has appointed Amit Ben Sira as market head Israel.
Ben Sira joins from family office Globe Invest, where he was head of private assets.
ValidPath
The IFA network has appointed Tim Clark as succession director.
Clark joins from M&G, where he was recruitment and acquisition director.
Withers
The international law firm has grown its Swiss practice, based in Geneva, through the addition of partner Berry Bloomberg, who joins the firm from Burges Salmon.
Bloomberg is a tax and trust specialist, representing clients on asset holding structures, the taxation of offshore trusts and companies and negotiating tax disclosures with tax authorities. His clients include internationally mobile individuals and families, trust companies and financial institutions and he has a particular focus on helping clients with US connections.
Schroders Personal Wealth (SPW)
The advice firm has appointed Justin Blower as regional director for the south and south Wales.
He will be responsible for leading SPW’s advice business across the region including Bristol, Cardiff, Oxford and the south West.
Prior to joining SPW, Blower held the role of sales director at M&G Wealth.
HSBC
The banking group has appointed Kai Zhang as the head of its wealth and personal banking (WPB) team for south Asia.
Zhang, who is based in Singapore, will take on her role from 26 June.
As part of her role, Zhang will look at accelerating the WPB team’s expansion in south Asia across eight markets: Singapore, India, Taiwan, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Zhang joins HSBC with over 25 years of financial services experience in North America and Asia, including leadership roles at Citi and McKinsey & Co.
Liontrust
The asset management company has appointed Victoria Stevens and Matt Tonge as fund managers of the Liontrust Special Situations and Liontrust UK Growth funds, joining existing managers Anthony Cross and Julian Fosh.
They were founding fund managers of the Liontrust UK Micro Cap Fund when it was launched in March 2016. They have also been fund managers of the Liontrust UK Smaller Companies Fund since 2016.
Square Mile
David Holder has been named as senior investment research analyst at the firm.
Holder joins from Edison Group, where he was an associate director.
Collidr
The digital asset manager has appointed Barry Cowen and Bradley Mitchell as senior investment strategists.
Cowen joins Collidr having spent the past 10 years running the Model Portfolio Service at Sanlam Wealth (now Atomos), and
Mitchell re-joins Collidr after a period as portfolio manager at Criterion Capital.
