Asset Risk Consultants, the risk consultancy based in the Channel Islands, has appointed Chris Edmeades as its new chief operating officer and its group risk officer, as part of its plans focusing on private client investment consulting.

Edmeades was previously a board director at Liontrust, responsible for risk management and corporate governance.

Meanwhile Stephen McMahon has been promoted from director to managing director of ARC’s Jersey office. McMahon will combine his responsibility for manager selection and research at ARC with promotion of ARC’s suite of consulting services to the Jersey intermediary market, the firm said. The appointment is effective 1 June 2011.

Recently the firm launched a free web-based research portal designed to assist professional wealth advisors with the identification and selection of discretionary investment managers for their clients.