People moves: Mattioli Woods, Stonehage Fleming, and FNZ

Mattioli Woods has appointed Simon Taylor as managing director – investment product solutions and platform.

Taylor has more than 30 years of experience in financial services leadership roles. He joins Mattioli Woods from Succession Advisory Services, where he was managing director, having previously served as platform and investment director. While at Succession, Taylor designed and developed the firm’s centralised investment proposition. He also chaired its Investment Committee for more than 15 years, and led the development and rollout of Succession’s in-house investment platform. Across his career, Taylor has held senior leadership roles, spanning investment governance, platform strategy, technology oversight, regulatory change and commercial performance. At Mattioli Woods, Taylor will lead the development of the firm’s investment product capabilities and platform strategy, supporting the evolution of the group’s centralised investment proposition, and expanding the range of investment solutions available to advisers and clients.

Stonehage Fleming founder and lead portfolio manager of its Global Best Ideas Equity Strategy (GBI), Gerrit Smit, will become chair of its Global Equity Management business and Investment Committee.

Current deputy portfolio manager of GBI, Carolyn Bell, will succeed Smit when he makes the transition on 14 April, assuming responsibility for the day-to-day management of GBI and other collective vehicles with the same investment strategy. GBI is a high-conviction equity fund that was launched by Smit in 2013. Bell joined Stonehage Fleming Investment Management in April 2024, and became deputy portfolio manager of GBI in October the same year. She has 17 years of industry experience, having previously been an investment manager at Aegon Asset Management and an investment analyst at Baillie Gifford.

Global wealth management platform FNZ has announced a series of leadership appointments.

Alasdair Munro has been appointed as chief communications officer and will be responsible for leading FNZ’s global marketing and corporate communications. He brings over 20 years of experience across PR, communications and marketing to the role, and has been with FNZ since 2010. Anthony Habis has been appointed as group head of North America, in addition to his ongoing role as group chief commercial officer. He brings more than 25 years of global leadership experience across wealth and asset management, including senior roles at MA Financial Group (Moelis Australia) and BNY Mellon. Finally, Peter Hiom has been appointed as group head of Asia Pacific, in addition to his ongoing role as group head of markets. Hiom brings experience in global capital markets and market infrastructure to the role. Before joining FNZ, he served as deputy CEO at ASX.

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