Scottish Widows, AMP Capital, Pinsent Masons, Axiom Alternative Investments, Hermes

Scottish WidowsEmma Watkins is set to join the UK insurer as director of bulk annuities as the firm sets up a new business unit. Watkins is currently a partner at consultancy LCP, where she advises pension schemes on bulk annuity deals. She joins Scottish Windows, the insurer owned by the Lloyds Banking Group, on 1 June. She will lead the development of the firm’s new bulk annuities business. Watkins joined LCP from US insurer MetLife, where she led business development for its then bulk annuity business.

AMP CapitalDamien Stanley has joined the infrastructure manager as a principal, based in the London office. Stanley will join the infrastructure equity team, reporting to head of origination for Europe Simon Ellis. Stanley was previously chairman of the UK subsidiary of Whitehelm Capital and has also been head of infrastructure investment advice for the EMEA at Morgan Stanley.

Pinsent MasonsBen Fairhead and Julian Sladdin have been promoted to partners in the law firm’s pensions disputes department. The promotions will take effect on 1 May. Fairhead is a litigator in pensions disputes including professional negligence and regulatory disputes. Sladdin specialises in dispute resolution in the Higher Courts with a particular focus on public law challenges.

Axiom Alternative InvestmentsGildas Surrey is set to join the asset manager as a senior analyst and partner at the beginning of June. Surrey will be based in the London office. He joins from BNP Paribas, where he was a senior analyst in the European banking sector. He also worked at Citigroup and Merrill Lynch.

Hermes Investment ManagementBen Patton has been appointed associate director in the investment manager’s real estate debt team. Based in London, Patton will be responsible for the origination and execution of commercial real estate debt transactions. He will report to Vincent Nobel, head of Hermes’ real estate debt platform. Prior to joining Hermes, Patton was vice-president of corporate banking at Barclays Real Estate.