Scoach, a European trading platform for structured products, has made a change to its management board. After three years’ service, Marco Steeg (pictured) is returning to Deutsche Börse to head controlling and billing with effect from 1 November 2012. Simone Kahnt-Eckner is to become the new chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Scoach Schweiz, Zurich, and Scoach Europa, Frankfurt, also from 1 November 2012. Kahnt-Eckner has many years of experience in capital markets. She has been at Deutsche Börse Group since 1989. She has worked in Deutsche Börse’s Xetra cash market since 2000 and, since 2007, has been

The Shanghai Hedge Fund Association (SHFA) has appointment industry veterans, Anthony D’Silva and Christian Stoiber, as members of its International Advisory Council (IAC). D’Silva (pictured) serves as managing director of Apex Investments/Apex Fund Services in Shanghai, a global fund administrator with presence in 15 countries, administering over 300 funds and over USD15bn in AUM. Apex Investments, a subsidiary of the Apex group, was set up in 2008 in Shanghai to specialise in China deal sourcing and due diligence. Prior to joining Apex, D’Silva was director of investor relations and business development with SHK Fund Management. Before that, he worked with

BlackRock has appointed James Wilkinson as European chief investment officer for the firm’s recently launched global real estate securities platform. With over 15 years of experience in investing in real estate, Wilkinson (pictured) will be responsible for building and leading an investment team for BlackRock’s real estate securities group in Europe. Wilkinson will join the team in January 2013 and will report to Mark Howard-Johnson, global head of the real estate securities group.   BlackRock launched the new platform in June with the appointment of Howard-Johnson and Sherry Rexroad, who joined as US chief investment officer.   The platform seeks

The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), the global hedge fund association, has appointed Michelle Noyes as the chief operating officer of its New York office. Noyes was most recently the head of international sales and investor relations for BRZ Investimentos, one of the largest independent asset managers in Brazil. While in Sao Paulo, she also served as the Brazil representative for AIMA and established the AIMA Brazil network. Andrew Baker, AIMA’s chief executive, says: “We are delighted to have someone of Michelle’s calibre and experience on board. She made an outstanding contribution towards helping us to establish a strong presence

Avalon Lake Partners has appointed Harris Bogner, an attorney and compliance expert, to head its compliance services group. Bogner’s role at Avalon Lake Partners will be to work directly with clients to ensure they develop a strong understanding of their compliance obligations while providing them with practical, cost-effective solutions. Avalon Lake Partners recently spun-out from WTP Advisors to focus on providing a comprehensive set of advisory services to the alternative asset management industry, namely hedge funds, private equity firms and family offices.    “Finding someone of Harris’ experience and business acumen is a major coup. He is the perfect complement to

Bedell Cristin has appointed Valerie Georges-Thomas to head up the firm’s British Virgin Islands office. Georges-Thomas (pictured) was previously a partner at Appleby in the firm’s corporate and commercial practice group. Her appointment follows on from Bedell opening an office in Singapore in July, headed by BVI lawyer Stephen Adams. Bedell’s BVI law practice, represented in Jersey, Singapore and the BVI, acts as a gateway for the flows of corporate business from China and the wider Asian region. The BVI office will also service clients in North America and the growing markets in Latin America. Georges-Thomas advises on all aspects

BI-SAM Technologies, a provider of data management, performance, attribution, risk, GIPS and reporting solutions for the asset management industry, has appointed a new board of directors. "Further to BI-SAM’s plan for growth and its partnership with Aquiline Capital Partners, I am very glad to welcome our new board of directors members. Bringing their expertise in financial services and technology as well as their considerable market knowledge and experience, the new members of the board will be of great support to the group’s strategy for global expansion," says Alexandre Harkous (pictured), BI-SAM’s chief executive.   Joining Harkous on BI-SAM’s board are

Alpha Strategic, an investment company focused on acquiring minority interests in fund management businesses, has appointed Alistair McKay as chief executive with effect from 1 October 2012. His appointment follows Nicola Meaden Grenham’s resignation in early July 2012, who remains on the Alpha board as a non-executive director. McKay (pictured), a chartered accountant, developed his career in investment banking, specialising in mergers and acquisitions, capital raisings and IPOs in the financial services sector with a particular focus on the investment management industry. He held senior investment banking positions at Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley and most recently was a senior

Maples and Calder’s global managing partner, Henry Smith, has been appointed to the global Council of the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) following a membership vote at the association’s AGM in London on 20 September. Smith (pictured) will be one of two representatives for the Americas region on the Council. Smith has extensive experience in all aspects of offshore transactions, focusing particularly on private equity funds, hedge funds and structured finance transactions. He has advised on the formation of hedge funds and private equity funds in the Cayman Islands for some of the world’s largest and most recognised alternative investment fund