Olga Fedotova and Sailesh Lad were appointed to AXA Investment Managers’ newly merged global emerging markets fixed-income team, a spokeswoman said.
Ms. Fedotova, who starts in August, will become head of emerging markets credit. Mr. Lad, who has already started, is a senior portfolio manager.
Both roles are new and are an expansion of the global emerging markets team, the spokeswoman said. The appointments coincide with a merger of the firm’s emerging markets debt teams based in London, Paris and Hong Kong, which covers Asian fixed income. The new global emerging markets fixed-income team is made up of six portfolio managers, two credit analysts and one research assistant. That team is also supported by two portfolio engineers, four fixed-income traders that specialize in emerging markets debt, and two emerging markets economists.
AXA also announced that Damien Buchet, head of emerging markets fixed income, will leave the firm in September, to pursue a new opportunity. Further details on his departure were not available by press time.
Subject to regulatory approval, Mr. Lad will take over as lead portfolio manager on the AXA World Funds Emerging Market Short Duration and AXA World Funds Global Emerging Market Bonds. Jim Veneau, head of the Asian fixed-income team, and Chris Iggo, chief investment officer for fixed income, will take joint responsibility for the management of the new global emerging markets fixed-income team until a successor for Mr. Buchet has been appointed, a news release said.
Ms. Fedotova joins from UniCredit, where she managed a team of credit analysts covering emerging markets corporate and financial issuers, the news release said. Spokesmen could not be reached for comment by press time.
Mr. Lad was previously an emerging markets debt fund manager at Ignis Asset Management, which was bought by Standard Life last year. A spokeswoman was not available to comment by press time.