KPMG, the US audit, tax and advisory firm, is adding more depth to its alternative investments practice by hiring Constance Hunter, an economic thought leader and former portfolio manager, as its chief economist, alternative investments.   In this newly created position, Hunter (pictured), who is based in New York, will work with the firm’s global alternative investments leadership team to play a key role in economic forecasting, planning and strategy, and client relationship development.    "Many financial services companies are struggling to understand the impact that current economic and geo-political developments will have on their businesses and their customers," says

The founding partners of SunTx Capital Partners, in collaboration with veteran senior portfolio manager Ron Dodson, have launched IXTHYS Capital Management, a hedge fund investment manager. IXTHYS will be headquartered within SunTx’s Dallas offices but will be managed distinctly and separately from SunTx’s sponsored private equity funds. SunTx’s founding partners have made initial capital contributions.   Dodson, a derivative instruments trader with nearly 20 years of experience, will serve as IXTHYS’ portfolio manager. Dodson most recently served as the portfolio manager at NorCap Investment Management, overseeing the firm’s Diversified Premium Fund.   Ned Fleming (pictured), founder and managing partner of

Cordium, a compliance consultancy to the asset management industry and new name for HedgeOp Compliance and The IMS Group, has made two key appointments.   Peter Guarino, vice president, will join Cordium’s Boston office, and Vivek Pingili, vice president, will join Cordium’s New York office, both reporting to managing director and partner, Patrick Shea.   Guarino will bring nearly 30 years’ experience as chief compliance officer (CCO) and in-house counsel to bear in a role that will see him spearhead Cordium’s mutual fund division, an area of growth for the consultancy. Most recently, he served as the CCO for

Alfred C Eckert III, Russ D Gerson and Oliver W Reeves have launched a new asset management firm, Phoenix Star Capital.   The new firm will pursue investment opportunities across the leveraged loan and high yield bond markets.   The firm’s founding partners – Eckert and Gerson – have enjoyed a personal and professional relationship for many years. Reeves was a key member of Gerson’s investment team in his sovereign advisory business.   The firm launches with USD100m of capital and will initially structure, manage and invest in CLOs and BDCs. Phoenix Star intends to expand its operations by establishing

The Hedge Fund Standards Board (HFSB) is strengthening US representation on its board with the appointment of Dan Stern, the co-founder and co-chief executive of Reservoir Capital Group, the New York-based fund manager, as a trustee.   This follows a significant increase in the number of US managers signing up over the past year. Together with managers from Canada, they now account for one third of the HFSB’s 95 signatories. Assets under management of all HFSB signatories now total more than USD475bn.   Dame Amelia Fawcett, chairman of the HFSB, says: “We are delighted to welcome such an experienced figure

Carne Group has made two senior appointments to its Irish governance team as part of a project to meet the demand for risk management skills from its clients.   Experienced investment professionals Albert Prendiville and Gerry Grimes are joining Carne to deliver risk management capabilities to its client base of global fund managers. Both have extensive track records within investment and risk management.   Prendiville joins Carne from Commerzbank Europe, where he was head of treasury in Ireland. Prior to this he was a senior manager with responsibility for a trading desk at KBC in Ireland. In a career of

BNY Mellon has named Jeff Pamplin as head of client service management in EMEA for its alternative investment services (AIS) business.    Pamplin will lead the company’s team of specialists serving hedge fund administration clients throughout the EMEA region. He is based in Dublin and reports to Carol Andrews, head of AIS EMEA service delivery.    Pamplin joins BNY Mellon from State Street, where he led the integration of its Goldman Sachs administration services acquisition. Previously, he worked for 10 years with Goldman Sachs Bank Europe, where he was the EMEA manager responsible for fund accounting and investor services.  

Tim Keast, chief executive of Clayton Euro Risk, a subsidiary of Clayton Holdings, is to leave the company at the end of June.   Keast (pictured) has served as the company’s CEO from its days as Euro Risk Management through the 2007 acquisition by Clayton. It is now the largest specialist risk and due diligence firm in Europe.   Keast says: “I have been planning to work fewer hours for some time now, and felt the Company was in a strong position with an outstanding team of senior managers and staff to take the business forward, and that now would

Three new members have joined EDHEC-Risk Institute’s international advisory board, which brings together scholars, representatives of regulatory bodies and senior executives from business partners and other leading institutions. The role of the international advisory board is to validate the relevance and goals of the research programme proposals presented by the centre’s management and to evaluate research outcomes with respect to their potential impact on industry practices.   The 40 members of the board also advise on the objectives and contents of projects deriving from the expertise of the research centre, thereby ensuring that graduate and executive programmes remain at the

ML Capital has appointed Dr Dermot F Smurfit as chairman of the ML Capital Group of Companies, effective 23 April 2013.   Cyril Delamare, chief executive, says: "Dr Dermot F Smurfit’s appointment will further strengthen and help ML Capital build on the foundations put in place by the existing management team. He will be a highly valuable member of the board and will take an active role in developing the business. Dr Smurfit brings to the company a formidable reputation of resolute leadership and entrepreneurial spirit, which we believe will serve the company well as we strive to become the leading independent provider