Alternative investment advisory firm Central Park Group, which provides private clients and smaller institutional investors with access to hedge funds, private equity, real estate and fund
Alternative investment advisory firm Central Park Group, which provides private clients and smaller institutional investors with access to hedge funds, private equity, real estate and funds of funds, has announced the appointment of James B. Hawkes, the former chairman and chief executive of Boston-based wealth manager Eaton Vance, as a member of its board.
Hawkes joins as directors Kenneth C. Whitney, senior managing director of the Blackstone Group and Steven Guterman, senior managing director and head of business development at AIG Investments, as well as Central Park’s co-chief executives and co-chief investment officers, Greg Brousseau and Mitchell Tanzman.
‘Central Park Group provides investors with access to institutional quality alternative investment offerings,’ Hawkes says. ‘It serves as a resource for investors and advisors to identify, conduct due diligence and access offerings by leading hedge fund, private equity, real estate and fund of funds managers.’
Says Brousseau: ‘Jim brings an incredible wealth of knowledge and wisdom, having led Eaton Vance as chief executive for more than 11 years. Under his leadership, Eaton Vance was recognised as one of the most innovative asset management companies in the industry.’
Hawkes joined Eaton Vance in 1970 as an equity research analyst, becoming director of research in 1979, chief investment officer in 1985, president and chief executive in 1996 and chairman in 1997. During his tenure as chief executive, the firm’s assets under management grew nearly tenfold, from USD17bn to USD160bn, while its stock delivered a total return averaging 31.8 per cent a year. Hawkes became chairman emeritus on his retirement last November.
New York-based Central Park was founded by Brousseau and Tanzman, co-founders and former co-heads of the UBS and Oppenheimer alternative investment businesses, to meet growing demand for alternative investments among high net worth and smaller institutional investors. The firm distributes offerings through US brokerage firms, private banks, investment advisors, financial planning firms and family offices.
Its record of innovative fund structures includes registered funds of hedge funds, registered single manager hedge funds, a private equity feeder fund with co-investment rights and a healthcare public/private crossover fund.
