People moves: Netherlands names new social affairs minister

Netherlands’ Ministry of Social Affairs, Lombard Odier Investment Managers, Deutsche Asset Management, Wells Fargo Asset Management, Schroders, Insight, Mercer, London Business School, Origo, Aviva, Better Finance

Netherlands’ Ministry of Social Affairs – The Dutch government has named Wouter Koolmees as minister for social affairs and employment. He replaces Jetta Klijnsma, who has held the position since 2008. He is the financial spokesman for the D66 liberal democratic party, one of four parties making up the newly formed coalition. Tamara van Ark, of prime minister Mark Rutte’s VVD party, has been appointed state secretary for social affairs and employment.

Klijnsma was recently nominated as the new Royal Commissioner of the Dutch province of Drenthe.

Lombard Odier Investment Managers – The Swiss asset manager has hired Robert Schlichting from Deutsche Asset Management to lead its institutional sales for Germany and Austria. He has worked for a number of asset managers including Neuberger Berman, Schroders, BlackRock, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and JP Morgan Asset Management.

In addition, Lombard Odier has appointed Frank Stefes as head of third-party distribution sales for Germany and Austria. He joined the company in 2010 to oversee business development in the two countries.

Wells Fargo Asset Management – Dan Morris is the US manager’s new global head of portfolio solutions within its multi-asset team. In his new role Morris is based in London and reports to Nicolaas Marais, president and head of multi-asset solutions. Morris was previously head of US portfolio solutions at Schroders, where he worked alongside Marais until the latter’s departure in January.

Wells Fargo has also hired Martijn De Vree from Insight Investment and Frank Cooke from Mercer . Both report to Morris and are based in London. The team is completed by Jonathon Hobbs, who joined from BlackRock in July and also reports to Morris.

London Business School Finance Faculty – The school has named three senior finance figures as executive fellows: Dominic Rossi, global CIO for equities at Fidelity International; Stan Beckers, chair of the AQR Asset Management Institute at London Business School and former member of the board of NN Group; and Tom Gosling, partner in PwC’s executive remuneration practice.

“We are delighted that these three highly experienced and respected professionals are joining LBS as Executive Fellows of the Finance Faculty. Their appointment comes at a time when business in general, and finance in particular, is coming under close scrutiny for the role it plays in society,” said Professor Suleyman Basak, joint chair of finance at the business school.

Origo – The not-for-profit fintech firm has appointed Anthony Rafferty as managing director. He will take on the role from 1 March 2018, succeeding Paul Pettitt. He is currently head of proposition for Aviva’s consumer platform. Rafferty will officially join Origo on 1 January, while Pettitt is set to depart on 28 February. Origo has been involved in the development of the pensions dashboard in the UK, a concept aimed at displaying all an individual’s savings and pension accounts in one palce.

Better Finance – The Brussels-based lobby group has elected Jella Benner-Heinacher as president. She is currently the deputy chief executive of DSW, Germany’s oldest and largest association for private investors. “Working at the European level is certainly one of the most important, but also the most challenging, tasks in the field of investor protection,” she said. “Better Finance has to remain one of the strong voices in the future.”