Paris-based Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management this week appointed a new chief investment officer (CIO) and a co-head of equities, who between them have more than 50 years of industry experience.

Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management has promoted Alain Krief (pictured) to global chief investment officer (CIO), with immediate effect. He is also joining the asset manager’s executive committee. Based in Paris, Krief reports to Christophe Caspar, global CEO of Edmond de Rothschild AM.

Krief has more than 30 years of experience in fixed income and credit markets. He was appointed global head of fixed income at Edmond de Rothschild AM in 2019, and was responsible for a team of 15 people and €12 billion ($14 billion) in assets. Between 2012 and 2019, he had a similar role at Oddo BHF Asset Management, prior to which Krief was global head of credit at BNP Paribas Asset Management. He has also held several leadership positions in European high yield at Crédit Agricole Asset Management and Crédit Lyonnais Asset Management, the firm said in a statement.

Starting on 28 September, Charles Lilford is joining Edmond de Rothschild AM as co-head of equities, and senior portfolio manager for the Big Data strategy, working alongside Xiadong Bao, who will co-lead. Lilford will be based in Paris and will report to Krief, the firm added.

With over two decades of experience in asset management and capital markets, Lilford's expertise lies in identifying winning companies across a range of sectors including power and energy, industrials and most notably technology. Prior to joining Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management, he spent 10 years at BlackRock in the sector and thematics team where he managed the "flagship" BGF Sustainable Energy Fund and the Future of Transport Fund. Lilford has also worked as a private equity and infrastructure investment manager for Treïs Partners LLP, associate for Dresdner Kleinwort, and started his career as an analyst at Fieldstone Private Capital Group.

Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management’s Big Data strategy, which has €3.4 billion in assets under management, was launched in 2015. Classified as Article 8 under the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), the strategy invests in international companies at the heart of the data revolution across all sectors. 

“We are delighted to have Alain as our new chief investment officer. His leadership skills and sound investment track record make him the natural choice for this role," Caspar said. "We are equally pleased to have Charles join the firm. Charles’ impressive track record in bottom-up stock picking, recognised thematic investing expertise and high-conviction investment approach will benefit our Big Data strategy, further strengthen our equities franchise and prove invaluable for clients.”

The firm has reported strong commercial momentum, with net inflows globally of €5.4 billion ($6.35 billion) in 2025. This is the fifth consecutive year of positive net inflows, with a cumulative total of €17.5 billion over five years, bringing assets under management to €107 billion, the firm said in a statement.