City Moves 17 February: Who is switching jobs in the Square Mile this week?
Snakes and Ladders provides a roundup of the most important hires and job moves across the City, every Wednesday afternoon. Email citymoves@cityam.com to be featured.
This week we see movements across the financial sector, with the City of London Group, BNP Paribas and Gateley Capitus all welcoming fresh additions.
BNP Paribas AM gets new deputy CEO
BNP Paribas Asset Management appointed a new deputy CEO, who joined the bank’s investment arm around five years ago.
Alongside his new position, Sandro Pierri will continue to maintain his role as head of BNP AM’s Global Client Group, which he has held since 2017.
CEO Frédéric Janbon said: “This appointment reflects the breadth of his contribution to our company and his commitment to developing our culture and values for the benefit of our clients.”
Based in London, Pierri brings over 30-years’ experience of asset management and will report to CEO Frédéric Janbon at the helm.
Recognise owner welcomes four new director
The City of London Group appointed four new independent non-executive directors this week, all from the challenger Recognise Bank.
Joining with immediate effect, new directors Philip Jenks, Richard Gabbertas, Louise McCarthy and Moorad Choudhry move to the parent company of Recognise Bank, the City of London Group (COLG).
Chairman of COLG Colin Wagman said: “We are immensely proud to be able to attract this calibre of expertise to our board and it is a testament to our ongoing strategy and business model as a challenger in the SME banking market that we are able to do so.”
The company looked to add “depth of experience” ahead of their appointments, as the company progresses into its next stage of growth.
Audit veteran and former KPMG lead and partner, Gabbertas, adds 15-years of experience from one of the Big Four and a deep understanding of banking regulation.
As a ‘2017 CIO Women in IT’ finalist, McCarthy joins with over 35-years experience in digital transformation strategies and has formerly worked with HM Revenue & Customs, Aviva, Specsavers and HSBC.
Choudhry, the former CEO of Habib Bank, brings wide ranging business management experience from across wholesale, commercial and retail banking realms.
Gateley Capitus strengthens R&D tax team
Fiscal incentives consultancy Gateley Capitus has welcomed an associate director and new head of its research and development (R&D) tax team in its London office this week.
Joining from MPA, Peter Corley has over 12-years’ experience in the tax credits, patent box and innovation funding sector.
Responsibe for the R&D branch, Corley will help companies assess their R&D costs and identify any claims they can make via tax relief and credit schemes.
“Claiming tax back on R&D can provide real value to current projects which can reap the benefits of reinvestment in the business and lead to more R&D activity,” Corley explained.
Corley hopes that R&D could provide businesses an opportunity to invest more after a fiscally strained year due to Covid-19.
“Continuing to innovate throughout the pandemic will be key to the UK’s economic recovery and using R&D tax credits to claim money back and reinvest it will be a useful strategy to enable many businesses to do this.”
Managing director, Aubrey Calderwood, said: “Peter will be an excellent addition to the Gateley Capitus team to help our clients save money and raise awareness of the relief available to them.”
Bird & Bird grows advertising team
Law firm Bird & Bird has invested in its media, entertainment and sports sector group with the appointment of a new London partner.
Joining at the beginning of March, advertising-tech industry specialist Alex Dixie brings combined legal and technical expertise to the firm’s advertising arm.
Head of the Digital Rights & Assets team Richard McMorris said: “Alex joins Bird & Bird at a time where the value of data and digital services has never been more apparent.
“His specialised skillset and experience in adtech will help us advise our clients on how to navigate the challenges and opportunities posed by the pandemic, and also help them become more profitable in the process.”
The appointment follows the unveiling of the firm’s cross-practice team in December last year, which aims to grow the firm’s capabilities in digital rights and assets.
The ‘Rising Star 2021’ nominee is also set to join the firm’s Digital Rights & Assets team ahead of a tough year for the advertising sector and a strong year for tech.
Dixie said: “The firm’s market leading reputation in the tech and media industries, its strong sector focus and cross-selling opportunities will allow me to collaborate on a number of exciting projects across a variety of advertising and brand clients as they look to navigate the complex world of adtech.”
Former White House advisor joins Avonhurst
Avonhurst has announced that Pippa Malmgren will join the London-based political strategy and legal advisory firm as Senior Advisor.
The company has attracted a raft of established talent since its launch in 2019, including key political and financial figures.
Pippa Malmgren said: “Law is now a very fast-growing sector and Avonhurst has a truly innovative approach that solves client problems by combining legal advice, capital fundraising and deep policy/geopolitical knowledge.
“It is a privilege to join this strong team on some of the most important issues clients face as the world economy emerges from the pandemic.”
Jonathan Bloom, CEO of Avonhurst, added: “We are delighted to be joined by Pippa. She brings simple sense making to the complexities of the world economy, geopolitics and technology.
“She has advised Presidents and Prime Ministers and has significant experience working in tech, finance and asset management.”