A round-up of the latest private markets people moves globally
Limited partners
Australia-based superannuation fund Aware Super has promoted Jane Couchman to Chief Risk Officer & Group Executive, Governance – a newly created role that combines the fund’s Risk, Compliance & Sustainability and Legal & Company Secretariat functions. Couchman previously led Risk, Compliance & Sustainability, and will assume responsibilities from Ian Pendleton, who is stepping away after 14 years with the fund. Greg Gokavi-Whaley has also been appointed as Deputy Chief Risk Officer, Belinda Dent to an expanded General Counsel role, and Anthia Lepouris to an expanded Company Secretary role.
Ruffer, a UK-based wealth manager, has promoted Jon Dye to co-CIO, effective October 1, 2026. He will work with Chairman and fellow co-CIO Henry Maxey, and succeed Neil McLeish in the role. Dye joined Ruffer in 2010 as Head of Research, before becoming Head of Equities in 2021.
Switzerland-based Zuger Kantonalbank has promoted Alex Müller as Head of Private Banking. He joined the bank in 2010, and was most recently CIO. Before joining Zuger Kantonalbank, he was a Senior Portfolio Manager, Sustainable Investments at J. Safra Sarasin.
General partners
Private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice has appointed former CEO of Enovis Corporation Matthew Trerotola as an Operating Advisor to CD&R funds. Trerotola joined Colfax Corporation (now Enovis) as CEO in 2015 and was named Chair in 2023. He will work closely with CD&R’s healthcare and industrials investment teams to source and evaluate transactions, and support portfolio company management teams.
Keyridge Asset Management has appointed Joe Riddaway as Head of Institutional Sales, UK, a newly created role based in London. He will lead institutional distribution strategy across the UK, focused on building and deepening relationships with pension funds, consultants, insurers, and other institutional investors. Riddaway joins from ODDO BHF Asset Management, where he was a Senior Sales Manager for the UK and Ireland, and for global consultant relations.
Private equity secondaries manager New 2nd Capital has promoted Rob Luttrell and Yindran Puspanathan to Partner, as well as Jack Shay to Principal. Kendra Zhi and Isabelle Leonaitis have also been promoted to Vice President, and Abraaz Khan and Henry Wakelin to Senior Associate.
Japan-headquartered Nomura Asset Management has appointed James Fouracre as Head of UK Institutional, based in London. He joins from Ruffer, where he was Head of Defined Contribution before his role expanded to include global consultant strategy and the firm’s global retirement offering. Fouracre previously held distribution roles at HSBC Asset Management, Tullett Prebon, and Castlestone Management.
UK-based Pacific Asset Management has appointed Tim Field as Director in its Multi-Asset Solutions team. He joins from Timeline, where he was Business Development Manager for Yorkshire and the North East, and previously held roles at Canada Life and Aviva.
UK-headquartered real estate firm Savills Investment Management has announced that Alex Jeffrey is stepping back from day-to-day management after seven years as CEO to become Senior Advisor. Michael Neal will become Interim CEO from July 1, 2026, while continuing in his Global CIO role. Neal joined Savills from Nuveen in January 2025. Alex Griffiths will also join in September as Head of Client Capital. Griffiths was previously at AEW Europe for 12 years, leading capital raising, client relationship management, project management, investor servicing, and marketing and communications.
Schroders Capital has appointed Bob Paterson as Head of European Asset-Based Finance (ABF) and Significant Risk Transfer (SRT) Investments, a newly created senior role in its Private Debt & Credit Alternatives team. He joins from CQS, where he was a Portfolio Manager. Prior to that, he spent more than a decade at Lloyds Bank in senior roles, including Managing Director and Head of Credit Sales.
Service providers
Legal
DLA Piper has appointed Kevin O’Mara as a Partner in its Private Equity practice, based in New York. His practice covers domestic and cross-border private equity investments, spanning sectors including manufacturing, media, business services, healthcare, and technology. He joins from Willkie Farr & Gallagher, where he worked for eight years.
Eversheds Sutherland has hired Alexander Wojtek as a project finance Partner in Hamburg. His experience spans onshore and offshore wind, solar and wider energy transition-related investments, often with a cross-border dimension. Wojtek joins from Bird & Bird, where he advised banks, alternative debt funds, institutional investors, and sponsors on project finance transactions and joint ventures.
Freshfields has appointed Pablo González Mosqueira as a Partner to lead its Private Equity team in Madrid. He formerly spent 20 years at Pérez-Llorca, including 12 as a Partner. He was also a Law Professor at IE University from 2010–16.
Sidley has hired Sumita Ahuja as a Partner in its Global Finance practice in New York. She joins from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, where she represented private equity sponsors, corporate borrowers, lead banks, and financial institutions across a broad range of domestic and cross-border financing transactions.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett has hired Zhiyan Cao as a Partner in New York, focusing on secondaries transactions, including GP-led transactions, continuation funds, and tender offers. She was previously Counsel at Debevoise & Plimpton.
Administration and asset servicing
Pensions administration, consultancy, and actuarial services firm Aptia has appointed Wendy Neller as Senior Consultant in its consulting practice. She joins from The Pensions Regulator, where she was Technical Principal in Relationship Supervision (now Market Oversight). Neller previously worked at Mercer and Equiniti, later holding senior Local Government Pension Scheme roles at East Sussex County Council, including as Pensions Operational Manager and Strategy and Governance Manager.
Asset servicer IQ-EQ has appointed Michael Slater as Managing Director, Middle East, and Frédéric Ullens as Managing Director, Luxembourg. Slater joins from Northern Trust, where he was Executive Director and Head of Middle East and Africa, and will lead IQ-EQ’s strategic and operational activities across the Middle East from the Dubai International Financial Centre. Ullens was most recently Global Head of the Private Equity, Real Estate, and Infrastructure services business line at CACEIS.
Ocorian has promoted Richard Hansford, who has been at the firm for 14 years, to Head of Growth EMEA. In his new role, Hansford will work with global teams to accelerate growth and deepen client relationships across Ocorian’s fund administration, governance, compliance, and investor reporting platform.
Suntera has hired Chris Marquis as Global Head of Private Wealth, based in the UK. He joins from Vistra, where he was Global Head of Private Clients, and previously spent more than a decade at HSBC, including as Global Head of Private Wealth Solutions. Marquis will lead Suntera’s global private wealth business and join its Executive Committee.
Trade Association
Invest Europe has appointed Forbion Managing Partner and co-founder Sander Slootweg as its Chair for 2026–27. He previously chaired Invest Europe’s Venture Capital Platform Council, and will succeed Elias Korosis, Global Investment Partner at Federated Hermes Private Equity. Valentina Franceschini, Senior Partner at Wise Equity SGR and member of Invest Europe’s Mid-Market Platform, has been named Chair-elect.
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