Absolute appoints to appease research houses

Alternative investment firm Absolute Capital has appointed a new head of hedge fund investments to address research house ‘key person risk’ concerns.

Switzerland-based Andrew Grauberg, who will relocate and commences in the role in early June, will assume responsibility for the group’s hedge fund operations and report through to group managing director Deon Joubert.

The move will see the firm’s two key analysts - Lincoln Valentine and Albi Van Eden - now reporting to Grauberg, along with an additional analyst the group is looking to bring on board.

The appointment follows the recent sign-up of formerBNP Paribashead of sales and marketing Brian Long, who joined as part of a move to drive Absolute’s range of multi-manager hedge funds and structured debt products in the market.

Meanwhile, Grauberg has over 15 years of experience in global investing - almost a decade of which has been in the hedge fund industry.

In addition to taking over responsibility of the group’s hedge fund team, Grauberg will also focus on the design and development of other absolute return products.

Joubert says the recent deal which sawABN Amrotake a 50 per cent stake in the group is allowing the alternative manager to take a longer term view.

“Andrew’s quantitative techniques will allow us to screen more hedge funds than previously and to selectively carry out further research and due diligence allowing us to cover more ground efficiently,” Joubert says.

Grauberg previously held senior asset management positions in Russia, Scandinavia, the UK and Switzerland.