PEOPLE: SSgA promotes two

John Kirby, vice president and head of SSgA’s fixed-income index team, and Kevin Anderson, vice president and head of international fixed-income beta solutions, were promoted to co-leaders of global fixed-income beta solutions, said Mark Marinella, SSgA’s CIO of global fixed income.

Also, William Cunningham was named SSgA’s global head of credit strategies and fixed-income research; Thomas Hagstrom, global head of fixed-income business management; and Brett Wander, global head of active fixed-income and alpha strategies. All three positions are new, Mr. Marinella said. Mr. Cunningham was a senior vice president and global head of fixed income at State Street Global Markets, State Street Corp.’s broker-dealer arm; Mr. Hagstrom was a managing director with RBS/Greenwich Capital; and Mr. Wander was vice president and director of fixed-income alpha strategies with Loomis Sayles. RBS/Greenwich spokesman Peter Ward wasn’t immediately available for comment. Loomis Sayles spokeswoman Erin Heard said Mr. Wander’s responsibilities have been assumed by other members of his team.

The moves are part of SSgA’s revamped fixed-income organization that began with the appointment of Mr. Marinella on Nov. 19, following credit market turmoil last summer that left a number of active SSgA fixed-income strategies with heavy losses.

Pauline Modjeski was named president and executive managing partner at Horizon Cash Management, a cash manager for alternative investment funds, said Brian Hurley, vice president and director of marketing. She was executive vice president and senior managing partner at Horizon. Ms. Modjeski replaces Diane Mix, the company’s founder, who was named chairman, a new position. Ms. Mix will remain actively involved in the firm but no longer handle the day-to-day responsibilities of managing the business, Mr. Hurley said.

Frank Caccio was named COO at Lasair Capital, the new fund-of-funds manager founded by hedge fund veteran Carrie McCabe, and Aaron A. Kilberg was named head of relationship management, according to sources familiar with the new firm. Ms. McCabe did not return a call seeking confirmation. Mr. Caccio was director of global operations at hedge fund manager Highbridge Capital Management, and Mr. Kilberg was principal and managing director of marketing and client services at small-cap equity manager Kern Capital Management. Brooke Harlowe, a Highbridge spokeswoman, said the firm does not comment on personnel matters; David Kern, president and CEO at Kern Capital, did not return a call by press time regarding Mr. Kilberg’s replacement.

Sarah Barratt Ball was named director of marketing for Trafelet Delta Funds, a long/short fundamental equity manager with more than $5 billion in assets under management. The position is new. In a telephone interview, Ms. Barratt Ball said she will handle marketing, investor relations and business development. She was a managing director and head of the asset owners sales group in Morgan Stanley’s prime brokerage unit. Michael Han, an executive director, will run the group in addition to his current duties, said Morgan Stanley spokeswoman Mary Claire Delaney.

Earl E. McEvoy, co-manager of the $13.3 billion Vanguard Wellesley Income fund and lead manager of the $8.8 billion Vanguard High-Yield Corporate fund and the $5.7 billion Vanguard Long-Term Investment-Grade fund, will retire June 30. He is senior vice president and partner at Wellington Management, which subadvises the three funds.

Three senior Wellington portfolio managers will succeed Mr. McEvoy, according to a news release from Vanguard. John C. Keogh, senior vice president, partner and fixed-income portfolio manager, will run the more than $8 billion bond portion of the Wellesley Income fund; Michael L. Hong, a vice president, fixed-income credit analyst and portfolio manager, will manage the Vanguard High-Yield Corporate fund; and Lucius T. Hill III, a senior vice president, partner and fixed-income portfolio manager, will manage the Vanguard Long-Term Investment-Grade fund.

James Cornell was named senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Prudential Retirement, a unit of Prudential Financial focusing on defined benefit and defined contribution plans, said spokeswoman Dawn Kelly. It is a new position. Mr. Cornell was senior vice president of institutional marketing at Fidelity Investments. Calls to Fidelity’s press office were not returned by press time.

Angela Eaton was named CIO at Seamark Asset Management, replacing Tom MacLaren, who will retire in August, confirmed spokeswoman Jill McKim. Ms. Eaton will retain her current responsibilities as head of equities at Seamark. Also, Brent Barrie was named chief operating officer. He assumes duties handled by Donald Wishart, who continues as CFO.

David Fisher was named an executive vice president and global product manager at PIMCO, leading product management for PIMCO’s $80 billion in global investment strategies. Mr. Fisher reports to Tammie Arnold, managing director and head of PIMCO's product management group, said spokesman Mark Porterfield. He replaced Suhail Dada, who is an executive vice president and head of the firm’s Middle East region, Mr. Porterfield said. Mr. Fisher was managing director and head of global fixed income at Halbis Capital Management. Juanita Gutierrez, spokeswoman at Halbis, could not immediately provide details about his replacement.

Alex van der Velden was named head of sustainable investment strategies at PGGM, which manages assets for the €88 billion ($127.7 billion) Pensioenfonds Zorg en Welzijn, Zeist, Netherlands. Mr. van der Velden was founder and executive director of FairPensions, which promotes responsible U.K. pension investments. Ben Watson, FairPensions spokesman, said the organization is searching for a new executive director. No further information was available; a PGGM spokesman could not be reached. Separately, Jelle Beenen, head of alternative beta at PGGM, will join Mercer as head of investments strategy in April, PGGM spokesman David Uitdenbogaard confirmed. Mr. Beenen, who joined PGGM in 2000, has done “a fabulous job,” Mr. Uitdenbogaard said. Mr. Uitdenbogaard declined to provide further information about a replacement. Mercer spokesman Antoni van Huissteden could not be reached for comment at press time.

Anna Pot was named senior sustainability specialist at ABP Investments, the asset management arm of the €220 billion ($322 billion) Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP, Heerlen, Netherlands. The position is new, confirmed Rob Lake, head of sustainability at ABP, to whom Ms. Pot will report. She was coordinator of economic relations in Amnesty International’s business and human rights program in Amsterdam. Prior to that, she was portfolio manager of ING’s Invest Sustainable Growth fund. “We’re in the process of putting together a list of companies that we want to establish a dialogue with regarding various (environmental, social and governance) issues,” Mr. Lake said in a telephone interview. “Anna’s role will be to talk to companies we invest in where there’s evidence of possible human rights (violations).”

Robert K. McConnaughey was named head of equity for Columbia Management, the company said in a news release. He is filling the position left when Colin Moore was promoted to CIO and head of Columbia’s alternatives business in September. Mr. McConnaughey will remain director of fundamental equity research while Columbia looks for a successor. Jeffrey F. Peters was named a managing director and head of institutional distribution for Columbia. He will oversee institutional sales, client service, consultant relations and international functions. Mr. Peters replaces Michael A. Jones, who was named president of Columbia Management in November. Mr. Peters left Putnam Investments in August, where he served as a senior managing director and head of Putnam’s international business.

Carl Mautz, vice president and CFO at Watson Wyatt Worldwide, plans to retire in August. Mr. Mautz plans to complete work on the company’s financial results for the current fiscal year, and the company’s financial plan for fiscal 2009, before stepping down, the company said in a news release. “Carl has made a tremendous contribution to Watson Wyatt over the past 10 years,” John Haley, Watson Wyatt president and CEO, said in the release. A search for a successor is under way. Candidates from inside and outside the company will be considered.

Drew E. Lawton, president of Pyramis Global Advisors Trust, the sales and client servicing arm of institutional manager Pyramis Global Advisors, will leave at the end of this month to pursue other opportunities, said Vin Loporchio, spokesman. James Carroll, senior vice president of client services at Pyramis, will assume responsibility for Pyramis sales, consultant relations and client services “while senior leadership evaluates its organizational strategy going forward,” he said. News of Mr. Lawton’s departure follows the Jan. 23 announcement that Peter J. Smail, the president of Pyramis Global Advisors, would be retiring at the end of March. Mr. Loporchio said Pyramis has “deep executive bench strength” as well as the ability to go outside to hire top talent. Also at Pyramis, Pamela Clancy Rotondo was named vice president, consultant relations. She will cover the eastern U.S., confirmed Jenny Engle, a spokesman with parent Fidelity Investments. Ms. Engle would not provide further details except to say Ms. Rotondo’s new position had been vacant for at least six months. Executive recruiter Sextant Search Partners assisted. Paige Scott, an executive recruiter with Sextant, didn’t immediately return calls seeking further details.

Phil Angelides, former state treasurer of California, is joining real estate investment management firm Canyon Capital Realty Advisors as a principal and chairman of the new Canyon-Johnson Urban Communities Fund, said spokeswoman Emily Baines. The new fund looks to raise $2 billion for urban and green investment, she said. After an unsuccessful run for governor in 2006, Mr. Angelides formed Riverview Capital Investors, a real estate firm, to invest in urban and environmentally friendly development projects. Further details on Riverview could not be immediately learned.

Edward Moore was named a senior equity analyst at Satuit Capital Management, covering telecommunications and technology. The position is new. Mr. Moore was a research analyst with Century Capital Management. Kevin Callahan, a managing director with Century Capital, said the firm is working to replace Mr. Moore.

Rebecca Ades was named vice president of institutional sales for corporate markets at AXA Equitable Life Insurance, said spokeswoman Jo Ann Tizzano. It is a new position. The corporate markets division offers education and guaranteed income investment options to 401(k) plans. Ms. Ades was a vice president in Hewitt Associates’ benefits outsourcing group. Calls to Hewitt seeking information on a replacement were not returned by press time.

Frank Waltman was named vice president and head of Prudential Retirement’s investment products team, said spokeswoman Dawn Kelly. It is a new position. Mr. Waltman will oversee the open architecture investments comprising equity, fixed income, balanced, and other retail and subadvised investment offerings, totaling more than 1,000 individual funds and about $100 billion in invested assets. Mr. Waltman was a vice president at Phoenix Investment Partners, responsible for product development and management. Alice Ericson, spokeswoman for Phoenix, did not return calls seeking information on a replacement.

Cynthia King was named vice president and head of products for Lincoln National Corp.’s defined contribution and executive benefits group, spokeswoman Anna Gauthier said. The position is new. She was a principal at Towers Perrin. Calls to Towers Perrin were not returned by press time.

Christopher G. Long joined hedge fund manager Endowment Capital Group as CEO. Mr. Long assumes the title from Philip Timon, who founded Endowment Capital in 2004 and remains CIO and portfolio manager. The firm was closed to new client money but is reopening with roughly $300 million in assets under management, and plans to close again at $400 million, Mr. Long said in an e-mail. Mr. Long was COO at Friess Associates. Bill D’Alonzo, CEO and CIO of Friess, said Mr. Long’s responsibilities were assumed by others in the firm.

Michael Raub was named vice president and senior consultant at Segal Advisors and will also serve as director of business development. This is a new position, said spokeswoman Mary Feldman. He reports to John DeMairo, COO. Mr. Raub will split his time between a newly established office in Portland, Ore., and the San Francisco office of parent Segal Co. He joined from StoneBridge Investment Partners, where he was partner. StoneBridge, a third-party marketer for asset managers in traditional asset classes, closed in December, Mr. Raub said.

Gerald Beeson was named COO at hedge fund manager Citadel Investment Group. The position is new, said spokeswoman Katie Spring. He will oversee corporate functions such as treasury, finance, human resources, marketing, investor relations and corporate communications as well as the company’s non-hedge fund related businesses including hedge fund-of-funds manager Citadel Alternative Asset Management; Citadel Solutions, a hedge fund administrator; and reinsurance investments. Mr. Beeson is the firm’s CFO and will retain those duties until Citadel names a replacement, Ms. Spring said. No timetable has been set for replacing Mr. Beeson.

Arif Gangat was named managing director at alternative investment manager Octavian Advisors and Oscar Mockridge was named director. The new positions are part of an expansion of the firm’s non-U.S. distressed debt investment team, said spokeswoman Mary Beth Grover. Mr. Gangat was managing director at hedge fund manager Southpaw Asset Management, where he managed distressed debt and special situations equity securities. Howard Golden, Southpaw co-founder and portfolio manager, did not return a call seeking information about Mr. Gangat’s replacement. Mr. Mockridge was a senior credit analyst in the leveraged finance strategy team of hedge fund manager Sailfish Capital Partners. A decision has not been made about replacing Mr. Mockridge, said Mitch Ackles, a Sailfish spokesman.

Jane W. Thompson was named senior vice president at Northern Trust Global Investments, confirmed spokeswoman Alexis Geocaris. The position is new. Ms. Thompson will be responsible for NTGI’s public fund clients and direct sales efforts in Illinois and the Midwest. She was executive director of the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission.

Jerry Bramlett was named president and CEO of record keeper and administrator BenefitStreet, replacing Alex Hehmeyer, who was interim CEO after the departure of founder and CEO Jim Drury, late last year, according to a news release. Mr. Hehmeyer will remain chairman. Mr. Bramlett was CEO of the 401(k) Co. before it was sold to Charles Schwab & Co. early last year.

David Millar was named investment director of multiasset investing at Standard Life Investments, confirmed spokesman Richard England. The position is new. Mr. Millar will focus on absolute return and liability-driven investing strategies. He will report to Euan Munro, head of multiasset investing. Mr. Millar was head of bond strategy at Scottish Widows Investment Partnership. He will not be replaced, said spokeswoman Vicky Jackson; his responsibilities will be assumed by Stuart McMaster, head of bond fund management, and Graeme Caughey, head of gilts, Ms. Jackson said.

Sean McCaffrey was hired as a managing director and head of institutional sales and consultant relations at O’Shaughnessy Asset Management. The position is new, said spokeswoman Ena Gong. Mr. McCaffrey was director of marketing and client relations at LSV Asset Management, according to a news release from O’Shaughnessy. Chris LaCroix, a partner at LSV Asset Management, said Mr. McCaffrey will not be replaced.