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.
CBRE board bags ex-BlackRock real estate lead
A former head of global real estate at investment heavyweight BlackRock is set to join real estate services firm CBRE in June.
Marcus Sperber is set to join as a consultant and chair of the newly formed Strategic Investment Advisory board, led by Graeme Rutter and part of Capital Advisors.
“This is a unique opportunity for me to use my experience working alongside the exceptional talent that sits within CBRE,” Sperber said.
With over 30 years of experience in the real estate industry, Sperber has carved a 17-year career with BlackRock, where he most recently founded NorthCroft Capital, a real estate investment and advisory business.
The new board, with the help of Sperber, will offer reviews of strategy and investment performance, in their quarterly meetings.
Team lead Rutter said: “With his wealth of experience and innovative thinking, Marcus will add an extra dimension to our Strategic Advisory Board to the significant benefit of our clients at CBRE.”
FCA posts LSE board veteran as chair of independent markets
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has appointed a non-executive chair of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) as the chair of its independent markets practitioner panel.
Incoming chair Michael Findlay will join the UK’s financial watchdog on 1 July, succeeding interim chair Tim Waddell, who is vice chairman of Global Corporate & Investment Banking for EMEA at the Bank of America Securities.
“Well-functioning capital markets will remain vital to support the economy as the UK starts to recover from the impact of the pandemic,” FCA chair Charles Randell said.
“Michael brings deep capital markets and corporate experience, with an appreciation of the important role that the panel plays in ensuring our regulation is targeted and effective.”
Findlay, who was appointed as non-executive chair of the LSE in June last year, has held senior positions at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Moelis & Company and UBS.
The board veteran has also been posted to the board’s of Royal Mail and the Morgan Sindall group.
“With the regulator and industry considering how markets need to adapt to be fit for the future, it is especially important that the FCA can call on the expertise of senior industry practitioners,” Findlay said.
Vevo strengthens UK team with TV director
Online music network Vevo has expanded its UK team with a new advanced TV director this week after the channel’s viewership has climbed 24 per cent year on year amid the pandemic.
Joining on 14 June, Richard Brant will be based in Vevo’s London office located in King’s Cross.
Brant moves from Dentsu Aegis Network after two years. Prior to that, the incoming TV director also spent six years in various roles at Sky.
“This year, Vevo UK celebrates its 10th anniversary and the next decade will see CTV play a defining role in our expansion strategy,” vice president of international sales, James Cornish, said.
“Richard’s experience building out advanced TV products, particularly from the buyer side, comes at a pivotal time for us as we focus on bringing music video to where our audiences are across CTV.”
Square Mile bolsters investment research team
Square Mile Investment Consulting and Research has made two appointments to its research and consulting Team this week, as the City looks beyond the pandemic at its post-Brexit future.
Ajay Vaid joins the consultancy as an investment research analyst from financial advisory firm Tilney where he was an equity fund analyst for eight years.
Having focussed on global emerging markets during his career, Vaid will deliver consultancy services to clients and take the lead in certain consulting relationships.
The second new hire joining Square Mile is Ibrahim Ishmail as an investment research assistant, after working on Barclays wealth management funds.
Formerly an operational due diligence analyst at Barclays, Ishmail began his career as a paraplanner at accountancy firm Brancaster House.
“We consider our 20-strong research and consulting team to be the beating heart of the business,” Square Mile’s COO of research and consulting, Jock Glover, said.
“We are delighted to welcome Ajay and Ibrahim to Square Mile. They both display the ability to engage with fund managers, objectively analyse the strategies they run and the acumen to present informed recommendations based on the insight they gain.”
London Property Alliance hires chief economic adviser
The London Property Alliance (LPA) has appointed a new chief economic adviser this week, as the capital gears up towards post-Covid recovery and its battered housing market.
Alexander Jan joins the capital property group, which brings together the Westminster Property Association (WPA) and the City Property Association (CPA), on a part-time consultative basis.
The part-time role, a first for the organisation, will see Jan bolster real estate advisory across the City, the eerily quiet West End and their neighbouring commercial districts.
Until last year, Jan was chief economist at global advisory Arup, where he had worked for over a decade.
“The industry undoubtedly has a vital role to play in driving economic recovery for the country as a whole. To do that, we need to develop further insight and understanding to inform how the property industry can best adapt for the future and contribute to London’s sustainable growth,” Jan said.
“Recovery from Covid, the race to zero carbon and London’s future positioning as a leading UK city are all hot topics. I have a feeling my in-tray is going to be pretty full from day one.”
Ex-Google executive to joins London start-up’s board
A former Google executive has joined London-based start-up Numerous’ board as a non-executive director after 17 years at the tech giant.
Ian Carrington is set to use his extensive tech sector sales experience to help the start-up is develop its e-commerce offering.
Once Google’s EMEA managing director of Performance Media Solutions for six years, Carrington also served as CEO of Google Shopping Europe from 2017 to 2019 as part of a dual role.
Numerous, which began in 2019, has bagged brand partners like Asos, Qatar Airways, Sky and Nike.
“He is a highly experienced and exceptionally well-regarded figure within the global technology sector who has worked in senior roles for some of the most successful and innovative companies,” co-founder and chief marketing officer, Alex Heys, said of the new hire.