GLOBAL – Netspar, National Association of Pension Funds, Lyxor Asset Management, UBS Global Asset Management, Quantum Advisory, RisCura, Novarca Benelux, Kames Capital, Miton Group, Financial Reporting Council, Altius Associates

Netspar – Casper van Ewijk has been appointed chief executive at Netspar, the Dutch network for studies on pensions, ageing and retirement. Van Ewijk, who has been deputy director of the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB) since 1998, is to succeed Theo Nijman, who has been acting as temporary chief executive since the departure of Frank van der Duyn Schouten last May. Van Ewijk is also professor of macroeconomics at Amsterdam University and is to be appointed in a similar position at Tilburg University in October.

National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) – The NAPF has received an “overwhelming” response to its call for nominations for members to join its two new policymaking councils. Due to the very strong interest, it is holding a ballot that will close on 17 September. There are two vacancies for the Defined Benefit Council and three for the Defined Contribution Council. The NAPF received 13 nominations for the DB Council and 23 nominations for the DC Council.

Lyxor Asset Management – Frank Frecentese has been appointed global head of hedge fund research, succeeding Dennis Heskel, who will retire in October. Frecentese joins from Citi Private Bank, where he was managing director and global head of hedge fund investments. Before then, he was an executive director at Morgan Stanley, where he was head of alternatives research for Graystone Research.

UBS Global Asset Management – Nick Rider has been appointed institutional sales director, focusing on business development with institutional clients in Ireland and the UK. He joins from Partners Capital, where he worked in a variety of roles since October 2007, most recently as principal. Before then, he was an analyst with Capital International and State Street.

Quantum Advisory – The specialist actuarial and benefits consultancy firm has appointed Deon Dreyer as principal investment consultant. He joins on 2 September from PwC, where he was the investment director heading the firm’s UK investment strategy and operations within its Pensions Risk business. Before then, he was a regional head of investment consulting at Aon Hewitt in the UK.

RisCura – The investment adviser specialising in emerging and frontier markets has expanded its UK team with the appointments of Josef Odili as head of Africa research and Conrad Visagie as quantitative analyst. Odili joins from Stonehills Frontier Investments, where he was managing partner, while Conrad has relocated from the RisCura Cape Town office, where he was part of the R&D and LDI teams.  

Novarca Benelux – Eric Veldpaus has been appointed director for strategy at Novarca Benelux, a Switzerland-based cost specialist for institutional investors. Veldpaus has been head of business control at asset manager APG, and has been focusing on cost research for the last 11 years. At Novarca, he will further specialise in cost transparency.

Kames Capital – Claire McGuckin is to become co-manager of the Kames High Yield Bond fund alongside Phil Milburn. She replaces Melanie Mitchell, who is stepping down to manage investment-grade portfolios within the firm. Meanwhile, Stephen Baines has joined the high-yield team as a fixed income manager from Oriel Asset Management.

Miton Group – David Barron has been appointed director of investment trusts and product strategy. Until earlier this year, Barron was at JP Morgan Asset Management (JPMAM), having joined Fleming Investment Management in 1995 and becoming a managing director and head of JPMAM’s investment trust business in 2002.

Financial Reporting Council (FRC) – Marian Williams has been appointed codes and standards director, while Angus Bogle joins as director of investor engagement. Williams joins from PwC, where she served as director in its Financial Services Assurance Practice. Bogle has 25 years’ experience in “blue chip investment organisations on both buy and sell-side”.

Altius Associates – John Hess, co-founder and chief executive since 1998, will assume the full-time role of executive chairman. Jenny Fenton, currently COO; Brad Young, head of investments; and Eric Warner, head of investor relations, will all three carry the title of co-chief executive.

Topics