YRD Capital, a Fund of Funds (FoF) focused on quantitative trading in digital assets, has appointed Ian Morely as Chairman.Founded in 2017, YRD Capital has the longest performing track record in the digital asset sector and has enjoyed year on year growth since its launch. It has also built a solid reputation among the fast developing asset class investors as a result of the firm’s thorough due diligence process, negotiating best terms and fees for its clients and close monitoring of its portfolio funds.
The firm is represented across the UK, US and Asia and is run by co-founders Yuval Reisman and Elad Gafni, who are also major investors in the fund.
New Chairman Morley is a specialist in the field of alternative investments. He was the founding Chairman of The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), the world trade association for the Hedge fund industry. He works closely with a number of trade and regulatory organisations and has served on various UK and international groups involved with Indexation, Derivatives and Alternative Asset Management.
He is a Member of Grays Inn, The Foreign Press Association and Securities Institute. He has advised the Bank of England, the Central Bank of Ireland, the OECD, the EU and other international institutions about the managed derivatives and Hedge Fund industry.
Morley runs Wentworth Hall, a successful consulting firm and family office, and holds a number of international non exec and consulting roles. He started his career at Phibro before moving into the futures markets at Shearson (a forerunner to Lehman Brothers) in the late 1970s. Following stints at various investment firms, including Rudolf Wolff Fund Management, Morley returned to Lehman in the 1990s to run its multi-manager funds in Europe. In 1995 he joined AIB Govett as head of derivatives and managed one of the first unit trusts trading commodities and derivatives. In 2000 he moved to Dawnay Day Olympia as chief executive of one of Europe’s biggest Private Fund of Funds, which was bought out by Olympia in 2006.
Morley says: “I am very pleased to take on the role of Chairman at YRD Capital, the fastest growing FoF for the digital asset class. When I first met the team I immediately related with their drive and ambition. I believe their experience in the world of hedge funds, coupled with their in-depth knowledge of digital quant trading, will help the firm to continue its successful performance and to set itself apart from the competition. I look forward to working with a winning team.”
Elad Gafni, cofounder of YRD Capital, says: “We’re thrilled to welcome Ian Morley as the Chairman of YRD Capital. Ian has been a mentor to us for quite sometime and we are glad to have him formally joining us. I know his influence in the financial and hedge sector will prove invaluable and his world-class background speaks for itself. Ian’s appointment strengthens our credibility in the sector and gives us an even stronger foundation to focus and develop our strategy for tapping the full potential of digital assets – something all of our investors will benefit from.”
