Insparo Asset Management appoints chief operating officer

Insparo Asset Management has appointed Jon Laidlow as its new chief operating officer.
 

Insparo Asset Management has appointed Jon Laidlow as its new chief operating officer.
 
Laidlow will take over an expanded chief operating officer role, which has been widened to include responsibility for all the firm’s financial operations.
 
He will work alongside the firm’s founders Mohammed Hanif and Francis Beddington. Insparo’s inaugural fund, the Insparo Africa and Middle East Fund, is backed by high-profile investors such as Michael Spencer and South African entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth.
 
Laidlow brings a wealth of experience in all aspects of the investment industry, having held senior roles within the alternative investment, investment banking and accountancy industries during his 13 year career.
 
He joins Insparo from quantitative hedge fund manager GSA Capital Partners, where he was finance director. In this role he had responsibility for fund accounting, compliance and legal operations.
 
Prior to joining GSA, Laidlow was head of product control at BlueCrest Capital Management. Here he played a major role in growing the firm’s AUM from USD5bn to USD12bn.
 
Before entering the hedge fund world, Laidlow made his name in investing banking. After spending three years as product controller for UBS Warburg, he joined Barclays Capital in 2003. During a two year career at Barclays he held a series of senior positions, most recently as a manager within the product control department. Laidlow started his career at Arthur Anderson.
 
Mohammed Hanif, chief investment officer at Insparo, says: ‘We are delighted that Jon is joining Insparo, as he fits perfectly into the ethos we have established here. He brings a potent blend of hedge fund, investment banking and accountancy experience. It says much for the positive outlook for our firm that while many are cutting jobs, we are bringing in professionals of Jon’s calibre.’
 
Laidlow adds: ‘I am delighted to be joining Insparo. Leaving a job in the current environment is a brave decision, but it is testament to my faith in Insparo that I had no doubt that this was the right move. The opportunity to work with investment professionals of Mohammed and Francis’ calibre was a key factor in my decision, and I look forward to helping Insparo to implement their strategy in frontier markets.’
 
Simone Kruys, Insparo’s previous chief operating officer, has returned to her native Australia.