AllianceBernstein (AB) has strengthened its EMEA product and client leadership with the appointment of two high-profile industry figures in London. In a press release, the firm revealed that Honor Solomon will join the firm as Head of Retail EMEA and Mike Thompson will lead AB’s global Fixed Income business development strategy.
In her role, Solomon will oversee strategy, management and distribution for AB’s fast-growing EMEA retail business, and will be charged with building on the considerable growth of the retail offering across the region in the last two years. In this sense, the firm has seen the AUM in its EMEA retail business increase by 47% since the start of 2019 – including strong momentum and inflows into its UK-based OEIC range since its launch in March of last year. She will join the firm in Q1 2022, and will report to Onur Erzan, Head of Global Client Group.
Solomon joins from Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), where she spent seven years as Head of Retail Distribution, helping to build the firm’s retail offering into one of the UK’s largest. Prior to this, she led BlackRock’s London Discretionary Team, with responsibility for the firm’s relationships with banks and intermediaries. She began her career with Merrill Lynch, where she spent four years in its investment banking division across Paris, New York and London
Meanwhile, Thompson will assume the role of Global Head of Fixed Income Business Development & Strategy, and will be responsible for driving growth and brand-building efforts for AB’s high-performing fixed income range worldwide. He joins from ICG, a leading UK-based alternative asset manager, where he was global head of the Financial Institutions Group and European Head of Marketing and Client Relations.
Prior to ICG, Thompson had a 15-year career at PIMCO, where he was head of Asia ex-Japan and previously head of third-party distribution in Europe. His prior experience also includes large fixed-income managers Western Asset Management and Franklin Templeton. Thompson will join AB in December.
“Bringing Honor and Mike aboard is a clear signal of the ambitions we have for both our EMEA business and our global fixed income franchise, and our intent to capitalize on the growth we have seen in both over the last few years”, said Onur Erzan.
In his view, to be able to attract talent “of their calibre” is confirmation of AB’s status as a brand of choice for both clients and leading industry talent. “We are delighted to welcome them both to the firm, and we are confident that they will help to lift our retail and fixed income franchises to new levels”, he concluded.
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