First State Investments has made a number of senior appointments to its institutional team in Europe.
Chris Gower has taken on an expanded role as head of client & consultant relations, EMEA. Gower will continue to report to Kanesh Lakhani, head of distribution for EMEA and global consultant relationships.
In order to further strengthen First State’s relationship management efforts, Jimmy Burns will join First State in early May as a senior relationship manager based in Edinburgh. For 14 years, Burns was a member of the Stewart Ivory team (First State Stewart) where he held the role of head of European equities. More recently he has been based in America where he ran his own consultancy firm.
First State has also created a dedicated business development team that will seek to form new institutional relationships for the firm.
Denise Saber has been appointed to the newly created role of head of institutional business development, Europe. Saber will be based in London and will be responsible for building and cultivating relationships with key asset owners in Europe and will report to Lakhani. Saber has over 20 years of asset management experience in senior client facing roles with a range of asset management firms and joins First State on 15 April.
Frank Glennon also joins First State and will report to Saber in the newly created role of European business development manager based in London. He joins First State on 5 May from Falcon Money Management in London.
Lakhani says: “Europe remains a key growth market for First State. Through the creation of a dedicated business development team, Denise, Alex and Frank will all play a key part in supporting First State’s business development strategy in Europe.
“I am delighted that we have been able to attract three high calibre professionals to the team. Denise, Jimmy and Frank all join the firm with a wealth of experience within the asset management industry.”
