Heptagon Capital, a USD2bn specialist asset management business set up in 2005 by former Morgan Stanley executives, has hired Tapio Pekkala as a vice-president in its investment management division.

Pekkala comes from Blue White Alternative Investments, where he managed fund of funds and alternative beta strategies. He previously held a post-doctoral research position at Harvard Business School, responsible for hedge fund and trading strategy research.

Based in London's Mayfair district, Heptagon Capital was founded in 2005 by former Morgan Stanley directors Eran Ben-Zour, Tarek Mooro and Fredrik Plyhr. The firm offers institutional and ultra high net worth investors investment ideas and risk management spanning traditional and alternative asset classes.

'In 2007 we launched the Heptagon Fixed Income and the Equity Substitute funds, managed by Hari Krishnan, formerly of Morgan Stanley's Graystone group,' say the Heptagon partners.

'These offerings have proven very successful and have been well received by the market. We are confident that the addition of Tapio to Hari's team will further enhance the breadth, capabilities and ultimately the performance of these funds.'