The UK chief of South African financial services group Sanlam has taken on a board role at the co-investment platform.

Jonathan Polin, chief executive of Sanlam UK, has joined the advisory board of CoInvestor.

CoInvestor is an investment platform that enables private investors to co-invest alongside professional enterprise investment scheme fund managers.

Polin took the helm of Sanlam UK after Johannesburg-listed Sanlam announced it was combining all of its UK businesses – including financial advisor Sanlam Wealth Planning and discretionary fund manager Sanlam Private Wealth – into a single entity.

Polin became CEO of Sanlam Private Wealth in October, having previously served as CEO of Ashcourt Rowan. He transformed that business from a loss-making entity to one worth £129 million ($170 million). Mid-last year, Ashcourt Rowan was sold to UK wealth manager Towry, which was in turn recently acquired by Tilney Bestinvest.

In other high-level changes at CoInvestor, Sam Plumptre, an existing board member, has been appointed CEO to support founder Charles Owen in the management of the business. Matthew Peacock, founding partner at Hanover Investments, has joined the board as non-executive chairman. 

CoInvestor has also completed a round of funding, with FinnCap and a London merchant bank coming on board as new shareholders.

Owen said: “We’re delighted to have attracted such experienced advisors in Matthew and Jonathan to the company, and to have raised further investment capital from a wide range of industry relevant investors. 

“Their combined extensive knowledge of the investment and wealth management sectors will greatly enhance our ability to evolve the platform to the benefit of fund managers and financial advisors, as well as the private investors themselves," he added.