Zenith managing director, co-founder set to exit
Zenith Investment Partners will see its co-founder and managing director both depart this year due to their ambitions no longer aligning with those of its parent company.
The investment research and managed account provider confirmed its co-founder and investment director, David Wright, will exit his role at Zenith in September 2025.
This follows the resignation of Zenith’s managing director, Jason Huddy, who is also set to depart the business in July this year.
Having co-founded the company in 2002 alongside David Smythe, Wright has spent over two decades at Zenith as its chief executive initially and then its investment director.
Meanwhile, Huddy joined in late 2019 as its chief operating officer and later stepped into the managing director position in 2023.
According to the firm, Wright and Huddy decided it was the right time to depart due to their ambitions no longer paralleling those of its parent company, FE fundinfo, which acquired Zenith in October 2021.
“Both individuals believe that their ambitions for the business are no longer aligned with the aspirations of their global parent, and feel it is therefore the right time to leave the business,” Zenith confirmed in a statement.
“Both David and Jason have played an instrumental role in shaping the leading investment research, ratings and managed accounts business that exists today. Their vision, leadership and hard work have helped build a strong foundation for future growth.
“We thank both David and Jason for their significant contributions over many years.”
Late last year, Zenith made two new appointments in its business development team, who are based in Sydney and commenced on 2 December, reporting to its head of sales, Glenn Boyes.
Doug Hope joined in the newly created role of business development manager (BDM), focusing on adviser solutions nationally and supporting the growth of the firm’s advice tools, including Zenith Mosaic, Chant West’s switching tools and FE Analytics.
Zenith also welcomed Jim Wang as a BDM in its institutional team, who oversees all technology and data sales related to institutional clients nationally, with a focus on the asset manager, platform and technology client segments.
This followed the appointment of Grant Kennaway in the group head of research role, following the departure of Bronwen Moncrieff. Kennaway is responsible for leading the delivery and expansion of the combined investment and super fund research program to financial advisers and platforms across Australia.
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Jasmine Siljic
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