New KPMG global investment chief
David Ledster has been promoted as head of global investment management and funds practice within the financial services division at consultancy KPMG. Ledster, based in London, was formerly UK head of investment management at the company.


Stuart will head EMEA sales at Mellon
Pauline Stuart has been appointed as head of institutional sales for continental Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Mellon Global Investments. She joins from JP Morgan where she was in charge of sales in Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa and Switzerland.


MLIM’s new DC director
Jennifer Averre-Beeson has been appointed as director of defined contribution (DC) pension sales and relationship management at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers. Averre-Beeson joins from Schroders whre she was assistant director of its DC business.


Gallagher returns to JLT
Jim Gallagher moves Jardine Lloyd Thompson Administration Services as operations director. Previously, he was development director at Paymaster. Last year, Gallagher left Abbey National Benefit Consultants prior to its acquisition by Jardine Lloyd Thompson.


Wood to global sectors at SWIP
Graham Wood has been recruited to the position of head of global sectors at Scottish Widows Investment Partnership. He will have overall responsibility for the company’s sector research and will run its global mandates together with the global strategy desk.
Formerly, Wood was head of UK and European equities at Standard Life Investment.


Commerzbank appointments
Kalim Aziz and Karen Bartlam join Commerzbank Securities’ telecoms research team from ING Barings. They will be responsible for emerging markets telecom sectors, an area in which both of them worked at ING Barings.
Meanwhile, Philippe Halb, Anthony Psarianos, Rory Passey, Santiago Garcia and Nicholas Jenkins are moving to Commerzbank Securities’ convertible bond team.


Invesco promotes Niznik
Mark Niznik has been appointed lead manager for Perpetual UK Smaller Companies Investment Trust. He is replacing John Sweet who is expected to leave the company in the autumn. Niznik joined the company in 1993 from Greig Middleton where he was responsible for management of private client funds and smaller companies research.


Dashwood joins Fidelity as events manager
Dee Dashwood has joined Fidelity Investments as senior events manager in its institutional team. She is moving from State Street Bank where she developed the strategic development of a sustained corporate sponsorship campaign designed to raise the company’s profile. Dashwood also managed the marketing support team.