People’s Partnership, MinPension, Sycomore AM, OPF, AXA IM, BNP Paribas AM, Broadstone, Hymans Robertson
BNP Paribas Asset Management (BNPP AM) – The asset manager has created a new systematic portfolio management team to complement its fundamental portfolio management capabilities in equities, fixed income and multi-asset.
BNPP AM’s quantitative portfolio management and ETF teams will combine to form a new division dubbed SQI, becoming a distinct centre of excellence for systematic portfolio management.
“Within an environment of regulatory change, this initiative reflects BNPP AM’s growth ambition, focused on supporting clients with innovative portfolio solutions integrating both financial and extra financial criteria.” the firm stated.
The new division will be led by Robinson Rouchié, who has been appointed chief investment officer, systematic and quantitative investments, reporting to Rob Gambi, global head of investments.
Rouchié, currently chief of staff to Gambi, will relinquish this role following the appointment of his successor. He will remain a member of BNPP AM’s investment committee and continue to be based in Paris.
Furthermore, Guy Davies, deputy head of investments, will assume leadership of BNPP AM’s multi-assets and solutions teams (excluding quant and ETF) in March, in addition to his existing role as CIO for fundamental active equities. He replaces Denis Panel, who will be leaving BNPP AM in March to take the CEO position at Sycomore Asset Management (see below).
Finally, in acknowledgement of the predominance of fixed income strategies within BNPP AM’s emerging markets affiliates, Olivier de Larouzière will become responsible for the investment teams within emerging markets affiliates, in addition to his current role as CIO of global fixed income.
Davies and de Larouzière will continue to report to Gambi.
Broadstone – David Hamilton has been named chief actuary at the consultancy Broadstone. In his new role, Hamilton is responsible for leading the firm’s actuarial thinking, from both a technical and professional standpoint. He will also ensure that this is disseminated across Broadstone’s actuarial team which now counts over 100 qualified and part-qualified actuaries.
Alongside these responsibilities, Hamilton also chairs Broadstone’s joint funding and investment committee as well as working closely with the research team on providing technical briefings to clients and commenting on current defined benefit (DB) pension issues.
Already in his new role Hamilton has been providing support in the aftermath of the UK’s ‘mini budget’ last September and the financial instability that ensued. He has been busily examining the full intricacies of the proposed new funding regulations and draft DB funding code, as well as helping formulate Broadstone’s consultation responses.
Hamilton joined Broadstone in 2019 and brings over 20 years of experience to the table. He will continue to maintain an active client portfolio, supporting trustees in sensibly managing their DB pension schemes in a pragmatic and cost-effective manner.
Hymans Robertson – The consultancy has appointed Louise Lane to join its expanding risk transfer team as a response to increasing client demand.
Lane joins from WTW’s risk transfer team, where she focused on assisting clients to reduce the risk associated with DB pension schemes, primarily through the purchase of bulk annuities. She has worked and advised on a variety of transactions, ranging in value from £100m to almost £2bn in size.
AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) – The firm has appointed four external members to the advisory committee of its recently launched AXA IM Investment Institute. They will provide their expertise and insights on a range of topics including macroeconomics, climate change, biodiversity and natural resources.
The new members of the committee include:
- Olivier Blanchard, an emeritus professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a former economic counsellor and director for the research department for the International Monetary Fund (IMF), currently a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, who will advise on macroeconomics;
- Nigel Topping, a policy adviser and former climate champion for COP26, who will advise on climate;
- From the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in France, Marie-Christine Korniloff, director of corporate engagement, and Nicolas Loz De Coëtgourhant, head of sustainable business practices, who will both advise on nature and biodiversity.
The AXA IM Investment Institute seeks to help clients and portfolio managers make better informed decisions through insights on the short and long-term trends affecting the global macroeconomic and investment outlook, covering asset class views, macroeconomics, sustainability and future trends.
The external members will attend the advisory committee bi-annually to discuss the key macro and research themes to be covered by the Institute, and to complement the research the AXA IM’s experts already provide. The committee consists of representatives from across AXA IM’s investment teams and senior members of the macroeconomic research, ESG research and quant lab teams.
Oslo Pensjonsforsikring (OPF) – Lars Haram, who has been acting chief executive officer of the Norwegian municipal pension provider since last autumn when Åmund Lunde resigned, has now been appointed as OPF’s permanent CEO.
Following the decision to appoint him, Jørund Vandvik, chair of OPF’s board, said of Haram: “He has done a convincing job in the role of acting leader in recent months. I and the board of OPF have high expectations that Lars and OPF will continue to deliver good results going forward.”
Haram joined OPF four years ago as CIO, having previously had the sale role at Storebrand.
Sycomore Asset Management – Denis Panel joins the firm, which is part of Generali Investments, as CEO.
Emeric Préaubert, co-founder of Sycomore AM, steps down from his operational role but remains a member of the supervisory board to which he will bring his expertise and intimate knowledge of the company.
Panel, who will assume his duties from 3 April, is tasked with reinforcing Sycomore AM’s position as a leading player in responsible investment: he will take an active part in the development of the business, accelerating international growth, strengthening investment processes, and deploying new initiatives across the firm’s financial offering.
In coming months, priorities will include optimising Sycomore AM’s product strategy, which will involve exploring innovative, performance-driven, and meaningful investment solutions.
Panel served until recently as global head of the multi-asset, quantitative and solutions (MAQS) division, BNP Paribas Asset Management’ s largest investment centre.
MinPension – Dan Adolphson Björck, is starting a new job as pension economist at Swedish pensions information service MinPension (my pension) at the beginning of May, taking over from Kristina Kamp, as she retires. He currently works as pensions economist at Swedish pension fund AMF – having held the title since 2015, AMF said. In total, Adolphson Björck has now worked at AMF for 17 years.
MinPension separately announced its CEO, Anders Lundström, is stepping down from the top role, although he will stay until a replacement is ready to take over. Lundström, who has been CEO since 2004, said: “It has been incredibly stimulating, but now it is time for me to do something else in my professional life.”
People’s Partnership – The UK workplace pensions provider has appointed a new chief commercial officer to drive its commercial strategy forward as it continues to provide greater financial security for millions of people across the UK.
David Meliveo joins the organisation from Royal London, where he delivered a large growth in market share for its UK workplace pension. He will lead the organisation’s proposition, marketing, and business development teams to continue developing straight-forward, good value, and accessible products that can benefit everyone.
Earlier in his career Meliveo worked across a number of industries, with companies including GSK, easyJet, Autoglass, SAGA and the AA.
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