Vertical Management Systems (VMS), a provider of data, financial networking and account aggregation technology, has partnered with Exchange Data International (EDI), a specialist in supplying securities reference data, corporate actions and closing pricing information. The partnership is aiming to enable VMS to expand into the distribution of domestic and global securities data. Coupling VMS’ mutual fund data solutions with EDI’s reference data services allows VMS’ clients to receive all their required information from a single trusted source.   “EDI is a natural partner for us and our clients,” says Kevin Rafferty (pictured), president and CEO of VMS. “We see a

Jürg Hunziker has been appointed Group Chief Markets Officer and deputy CEO of the Avaloq group. The former SunGard executive will join Avaloq as of 1 June 2016 as a member of the Group Executive Board. With Jürg Hunziker, Avaloq wins a proven expert and experienced international leader. He has over 30 years of experience and brings with him a wealth of knowledge from the financial software, technology and banking industries. Hunziker joins Avaloq’s Group Executive Board from SunGard, where he spent 27 years. Among other major achievements, he founded SunGard Europe and played an essential role in launching and

Montréal Exchange (MX) has appointed Luc Fortin as Managing Director, Derivatives Trading, effective 27 June, 2016.  Fortin (pictured) will be responsible for developing and deploying strategies to grow the derivatives business. He will also focus on the efficient delivery of new products and solutions to enhance the overall MX client experience and oversee the day-to-day operation of the derivatives market. Fortin brings over 25 years of capital markets experience to MX, with a specialty in leading client-facing teams in fixed income and derivatives. Most recently, he served as Managing Director, Canadian Head of the Institutional Client Group at HSBC Bank

Unigestion, the boutique asset manager that focuses on guiding its clients with risk-managed investment solutions, has appointed four new members to the Institutional Clients team to boost its specialist alternatives sales force. David Chesner has been appointed as a director on the Institutional Clients Alternatives team, and will lead the sales strategy for Unigestion’s alternative investment solutions. David has a 15 year history working in private equity and hedge fund investing and joins from the global alternative asset manager, Duet Group, where he was responsible for client relationships and business development across Europe and Asia.  David reports into Tom Leavitt,

Calastone, the global fund transaction network, has expanded into New Zealand, bringing critical infrastructure to support smoother transaction flow across Australasia. Calastone Managing Director Australia, Sarah Hayward, says the firm’s extended cross border coverage enables transactions between Australian and New Zealand platforms, fund managers and respective counterparts.   “Our expansion has been primarily driven by our Australian clients wanting access to cross-border opportunities and New Zealand clients embracing automation,” she says. Calastone’s technology provides total interoperability, relieving asset managers, platforms, custodians, and administrators from the burden of unifying or standardising legacy technologies for straight through processing of information. The

Nikko Asset Management has appointed Yuichi Alex Takayama as Global Head of Sales (International Business). Concurrently serving as Head of International Business Development and Sales Planning Division, he will collaborate closely with overseas unit heads and senior sales managers in formulating the company’s international sales strategies. Takayama has more than 20 years of asset management experience, spanning Tokyo, New York and London, mainly as a portfolio manager and senior analyst for Chuo Mitsui Trust & Banking (now Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Inc.) and Mizuho Trust & Banking Co., Ltd. His most recent postings were as Chief Executive Officer of the

Muddy Waters Capital, an activist investment firm, has appointed Terrence L Ing as Head of Credit.  Ing will identify opportunities for activism within the corporate credit market, including investment grade credits that could re-rate to high-yield, and in companies with financial statements that obscure economic reality through heavy use of financial engineering. Ing will also assist Muddy Waters with expressing its views through derivatives and various securities across the capital structure. Prior to Muddy Waters, Ing served as a portfolio manager and senior analyst for PIMCO's USD3.3 billion Global Credit Opportunity Hedge Fund, where he focused on cross sector credit