Independent fund and corporate services provider, the Aztec Group, has made 113 promotions, including five senior appointments to director and associate director roles in the biggest round of promotions in the Group’s history.
The promotions came into effect on 1 July, with nearly 15 per cent of the Group’s 720 employees being recognised and rewarded. Combined with the Group’s mid-year promotions, which took place in January, nearly 200 staff have been promoted in the last 12 months.
Of those promoted, five senior appointments to director and associate director positions were announced, significantly strengthening the Group’s leadership team.
Jimmy Pledger has been promoted to Director in the Group’s Luxembourg office. Having joined the Group in 2015, Pledger initially supported the development of their private equity team in Jersey before relocating to Luxembourg in 2016 to support the business’s ongoing development and its accelerated growth to now over 200 employees. Pledger has over 30 years’ experience in accounting, audit, risk and compliance and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. He also holds an International Diploma in Anti-Money Laundering.
Hana Prochaska has also been promoted in Luxembourg to Associate Director within the Group’s Business Development team. Prochaska joined the business in 2011, initially working in fund administration before moving into business development in 2016. Since then, Prochaska has focused on building client relationships, strengthening new business pipelines and helping to drive the Group’s organic growth strategy. In her new role, Prochaska will lead all business development activities across Continental Europe.
In Guernsey, private equity specialist, Nick Barton, has been promoted to Associate Director. Barton joined the Group in 2010 as a Senior Fund Accountant. Over the last eight years, he has played a pivotal role in both client management and operational change initiatives. Following his promotion, Barton will continue to manage client relationships for a number of large private equity funds and act on various client boards.
Two senior promotions have also been made in the Jersey office. Richard Phillips has been appointed to Associate Director in the private debt team. Phillips joined the Jersey team in 2016 and has played a key role in the continued growth the Group’s private debt services. Phillips has been instrumental in the successful take-on of new clients and launch of new funds. His new role will see him drive and further develop the Jersey private debt offering.
Tobias Cook will also assume the role of Associate Director in the risk team. Cook joined the Group in 2014 to support the development of a Group-wide compliance framework. Since then, he has assumed an important leadership role and will continue to oversee the development of the risk function and framework across the Group.
Edward Moore (pictured), Founder and CEO, says: “This is a wonderful endorsement of the talent we have within the business and I am proud of each individual employee’s success. As a business, we are committed to the continued professional development and progression of our employees. From our dedicated Aztec Academy, which supports employees through every stage of their professional exams and ongoing development, to the annual Aztec Festival which brings together all 720 employees for a team building event – we genuinely strive to create an environment in which people can reach their full potential and it’s great to see that our approach is working.”
