Independent Fund Directors
Given increasing regulations and the liability fund directors have, many service providers are no longer allowing their employees to act as fund directors. However, at the same time as the industry becomes more regulated it is imperative that knowledgeable and reputable fund directors are included. We can provide insight and advice as to how to best structure the Fund’s Board, and recommend how it should operate in compliance with best practice. Please contact us should this be of interest by emailing ts@hedgefundconsult.com or call on +44 207 6920036 or +44 7799 415788
Other than advice on best practice, please find below an overview of potential candidates as fund directors, with whom we have been in contact or worked with over many years and which may have relevant backgrounds to your specific needs. These highly qualified and experienced directors, can be contacted directly at the emails provided, or enquiries can be made via our general email address.
Rebecca Meijlink
Location: Dubai
Nationality: Dutch
Languages: English, French, German, Dutch
Background: Sales and capital raising listed and private equities & funds
Degrees: Master in Law, Leiden Netherlands
Email: info@hedgefundconsult.com
Managing Director of AlphaBet Capital Advisors, has over 20+ years experience in the financial services industry, successfully advising companies and funds, across all asset classes and geographies, on effective marketing and capital raising, connecting to institutional investors globally, with a focus on the Middle East. Rebecca established AlphaBet Capital Advisors, an independent investment advisory firm, in 2003, out of London.
Prior to AlphaBet Capital Advisors, Rebecca was Managing Director, Head of Institutional Pan-European Equity Sales to Investors in the Benelux at Bear Stearns in London. Previously, Vice President of Robertson Stephens, focusing on the technology sector, as specialist sales biotech and technology. Previously at Citigroup, Head of Pan-European Institutional Equity sales to Investors in the Benelux Vice President in London. Joined Salomon Brothers in the mid 90s on the trading floor, which following the mergers with Citibank, Schroders, and Smith Barney was renamed Citigroup. Previously at JP Morgan in Brussels, as a Project Manager in the Services Development Department of Euroclear. Rebecca graduated from the University of Leiden, Netherlands, with a Masters in International Law in 1992.
Manuela Traldi
Location: Italy
Nationality: Italian
Languages: English, Italian, Portugese, French, Spanish
Background: Law (energy), Italy-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce
Degrees: Master in Law, Rome Italy
Email: info@hedgefundconsult.com
Manuela Traldi is a senior partner at Studio Legale Traldi, which provides a wide range of services and legal assistance for Italian and international clients. Manuela has more than two decades of international experience, both in-house and in private practice, on a wide range of legal disputes and of large-scale investment projects worldwide, including upstream, midstream and downstream activities. From 2000 to 2003, she was senior Counsel at GE Oil & Gas / Nuovo Pignone SpA and Legal Coordinator for Italy of the General Electric Power Systems group (now GE Energy).
Manuela Traldi is the founder and president of the Italy Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce and as such frequently travels to Azerbaijan with a deep understanding of the various issues relating to operating in emerging markets. She also lectures at Link Campus University on energy and environment law.
Manuela has been registered with the Rome Bar Association since 1996.
Marise Chetcuti
Location: Malta
Nationality: Maltese
Languages: English, Italian, French, Maltese
Background: Regulatory Compliance, AML for asset managers
Degrees: BS in Management, Banking & Finance, University of Malta
Email: info@hedgefundconsult.com
Marise Chetcuti has extensive working experience in the financial services sector, in particular with investment firms and Hedge Funds. After several years working with entities, such as the Maltese financial services regulator, MFSA, a Maltese leading financial services company, and one of the top four audit firms, Marise set up her own consultancy operation through which, for the past 12 years, she has been offering regulatory compliance consultancy services to regulated entities and Subject Persons as defined by AML/CFT laws and regulations. In addition to providing consultancy services, Marise also offers Directorship, Compliance Officer and MLRO services and to date holds positions with a number of Hedge Funds as well an Asset Manager and a Payment Services Provider. Between 2015 and 2018, Marise also managed the local operation of a leading Luxembourg based AML/CFT KYC Solution provider thereby gaining indepth knowledge of the operation of KYC systems as well as onboarding processes.
Marise holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Management, Banking and Finance from the University of Malta.
Roman Borisovich
Location: Luxembourg
Nationality: British
Languages: English, French, Russian, Ukrainian, German, Japanese
Background: Insurance executive and investment banker
Degrees: Master of International Affairs, Columbia University, NYC
Email: info@hedgefundconsult.com
Independent Director Roman Borisovich holds a Luxemburg government license of Conseil Economique and is a member of the Institut Luxembourgeois des Administrateurs. He can bring to a Board extensive expertise in insurance finance and risk management, investment banking, transactional experience, first-hand knowledge of global emerging markets as well as a proven anti-money laundering and anti-corruption credentials.
Prior to pursuing a non-executive career, Roman was the CFO of the largest Eastern European insurance, banking and real estate conglomerate Rosgosstrakh, which he successfully steered through the financial crisis of 2008/9. Before joining Rosgosstrakh in 2007, Roman was an investment banker with Deutsche Bank London covering Russia and CIS, Standard Bank in London and Johannesburg focusing on Africa, Middle East and Asia, Merrill Lynch in London and New York responsible for emerging Europe and Latin America.
He graduated from SIPA Columbia with Master of International Affairs in International Finance degree in 1992.
John Gillbanks
Location: France
Nationality: British
Languages: English, French
Background: Investment management (equities and fund of funds)
Degrees: B.Sc. (with Honors) in Statistics from Newcastle University
Email: info@hedgefundconsult.com
John Gillbanks is a highly experienced, senior Investment professional with an outstanding track record of portfolio management over 30 years, including 12 years as an institutional investor in hedge funds, lastly at a large Middle Eastern institution. John has an excellent strategic investment record and his rapid perception of economic factors underpins a comprehensive understanding of all investment forms. During his career he has actively traded all forms of stocks, bonds, currencies, interest rates and their derivatives, most notably for Nestle Pension Fund, while based in Switzerland.
John is comfortable with responsibility, is a dedicated team player with a detail orientated and analytical approach. After thousands of meetings with CEOs, CFOs, Hedge Fund Managers and reviews of company accounts he is able to critically analyse current and future prospects of many types of businesses. Furthermore, he is well versed in the respective functions and responsibilities of hedge fund directors, administrators, auditors, accountants, custodians and prime brokers.
Sean Hurst
Location: France
Nationality: British
Languages: English, French
Background: Investment management (listed funds)
Degrees: MBA Cass Business School, London
Email: info@hedgefundconsult.com
Sean Hurst has 28 years' experience in the financial services industry including 25 years involved in listed closed end investment companies and 15 years as an investment manager. He was co-founder, Director and CIO of Albion Asset Management, a French regulated asset management company. He is an experienced multi-jurisdictional Director including roles at London/AIM-listed funds and numerous offshore hedge funds and UCITS structures.
Sean is currently Non-Executive Chairman of both JPEL Private Equity Ltd and VietNam Holding Ltd and a Non-Executive Director at CIAM Opportunities Fund and Satellite Event-Driven UCITS Fund. He holds an MBA in Finance from City University (now CASS) Business School in London.
Roy Finucane
Location: Ireland
Nationality: Irish
Languages: English
Background: Fund administration, accounting, tax
Degrees: ACCA, Limerick Institute of Technology
Email: info@hedgefundconsult.com
Roy Finucane is the principal of TaxAssist Accountants Limerick. Tax Assist Accountants are the largest network of accountants in Ireland and the UK specifically focussed on the small business sector. Prior to this, from 2005 to 2009, Roy was a Senior Consultant with KB Associates, a firm which provides a range of advisory and project management services to the promoters of investment funds. Prior to joining KB Associates, Mr Finucane was assistant vice president with Northern Trust where he was responsible for fund accounting and investment fund financial statement production. Previously Roy held senior positions with SEI Investments, where he was actively involved in the development of the firm in Dublin. He has extensive experience of project managing the establishment of investment funds. Roy is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.
Taco A. Sieburgh Sjoerdsma
Location: United Kingdom
Nationality: Netherlands
Languages: English, Dutch, German, French
Background: Fund structuring, management, accounting, tax
Degrees: MBA University of Chicago
Email: ts@hedgefundconsult.com
Taco Sieburgh Sjoerdsma is the founder of PH7 Hedge Fund Consultants. A more detailed overview of his background can be found on the team pages