City Moves: Who’s switching jobs in the Square Mile this week?
City A.M.‘s Millie Turner provides a roundup of the most important hires and job moves across the City, every Wednesday afternoon. Email citymoves@cityam.com to be featured.
Johnson & Johnson hires EU consumer health director
US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has hired a new London-based area managing director for consumer health in northern Europe.
Charmaine England, who stepped into the role last Monday, will oversee business in the UK, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
The incoming director will also manage a portfolio of Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) well-known brands like Johnson’s, Aveeno, Listerine, Neutrogena, Calpol and Nicorette.
In her new role, England joins the company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) consumer health leadership team, focusing on ever-evolving consumer needs.
As J&J stepped into the world of vaccines, England held the position of managing director for the pharma giant’s consumer health business in Australia and New Zealand in 2020, delivering profits against the backdrop of a global pandemic.
England has also championed gender equality and flexible working in her previous role, as offices were out of bounds for many. By introducing the ‘#AtOurBest’ initiative, the new director stoked employee engagement to record levels.
“My commitment is to take the organisation from strength to strength, keeping the consumer and the customer at the heart of all our endeavours, while fostering an inclusive environment where employees can bring their best selves to work each day,” England said.
With two decades’ experience in senior positions, England’s worked with Unilever, Lion (Kirin), and the Pact Group – across Australia, Taiwan and the UK.
“She brings a proven track record of profitable growth and motivational leadership, while her truly international experience will make her an invaluable member of the EMEA leadership team,” chairman Carlton Lawson said.
HSBC Asset Management forms new Climatech team
HSBC Asset Management has set out a new Climate Technology (Climatech) team as part of its environmental investment strategy, with two new hires.
The team will host a new head of climate technology venture investments, Christophe Defert, and an incoming investment director, Michael D’Aurizio.
Climatech is set to build a venture capital investment strategy so that HSBC clients can invest in technology startups that are tackling climate change.
“Technology will play a major role in enabling the energy transition, funded by public money, private capital and philanthropic commitments,” global chief investment officer, Joanna Munro, said.
“The appointment of this team will allow us to provide clients with early exposure to sectors which are just emerging as such, but will become major sources of financial and environmental value over the decade.”
The team will report to the head of venture and growth investments, Remi Bourrette, who joined the firm last year from HSBC Global Banking and Markets.
After a decade at Centrica, the company that owns British Gas, Defert stepped into the lead role with over 16 years of experience in investment banking, private equity, corporate M&A, energy contracts and venture capital.
D’Aurizio joins with over 10 years of experience in power, utilities, and clean energy including business strategy and venture capital, and has also held positions with Centrica.
City of London Group shuffles its board
The City of London Group (COLG) has confirmed a board shuffle this week, as Philip Jenks will step into the role of non-executive chairman next month.
It comes as Colin Wagman is set to retire from his role as non-executive chairman of the group on 10 June 2021.
“I would like to give my thanks to Colin for his hard work over the past three-and-a-half years. His knowledge, experience and leadership have helped immensely as we embarked on our journey to launch a new relationship-driven SME bank,” COLG CEO, Michael Goldstein, said.
Jenks, chairman of COLG’s subsidiary Recognise Bank, will succeed Wagman, whom he has worked closely with in recent years.
As chairman since October 2017, Wagman has overseen the group’s launch of its Recognise Bank, which received Authorisation with Restrictions in November 2020.
Appointed independent non-executive director in February this year, Jenks has held a number of senior board positions across the City.
Before joining Recognise in 2019, Jenks was an independent non-executive director and then chairman at Charter Court FS Group.
Mizuho bolsters rates trading team
Mizuho International has bolstered its rates trading team, with two hires who joined this month and another joining in June.
Reporting to head of linear rates trading, Jason Cohen, Kevin Broughton, David Li and Andra Belcea will all join the capital-based securities and investment banking arm of the Mizuho Financial Group.
“These three new appointments will seek to further enhance our capabilities and client coverage, deepening our presence and offering in EMEA,” Cohen said.
Kevin Broughton, who joined the Swaps desk in May, will be responsible for USD trading in Europe.
With extensive USD rates experience, Broughton has held positions with the Royal Bank of Canada and Morgan Stanley.
Meanwhile, David Li who also joined the Swaps desk in May will focus on G4 swap markets and was most recently at Millenium Capital Partners.
Joining in July, Andra Belcea will step into the role of head of cross currency swaps.
Joining Mizuho from Société Générale in Hong Kong, Belcea has previously worked at RBS in a variety of trading and capital markets roles.
Ogilvy UK hires former-trainee as CEO
British advertising agency Ogilvy UK has hired a new chief executive officer this week, who climbed from a graduate trainee position to the chief of the helm.
Incoming CEO Fiona Gordon joined the firm in the 90s and has held key roles across the US, Asia, and the UK.
“Having started my career at Ogilvy UK as a graduate trainee, there is a wonderful circularity about taking the reins of the agency I love now as the CEO,” Gordon said.
Starting with immediate effect, Gordon departs her previous position as the firm’s chief client officer EMEA.
“Fiona leads with typical Scottish candour and drive and I look forward to partnering with her in this new role,” Ogilvy EMEA CEO, Paul O’Donnell, said.
Prior to her EMEA role, Gordon led the Walgreens Boots Alliance and built a team of experts who grew revenue by $3m in a year.
Once the firm’s group transformation director and chairperson of Ogilvy Singapore, Gordon is an award-winning advertising veteran.
“Fiona is a truly modern, inspirational leader, who focuses on building high performing teams and is a tremendous champion for creativity and talent,” O’Donnell added.