Lobnek Wealth Management, which is a privately-owned, Geneva-based asset manager, has announced two new hires to support the company’s plans for expansion.

Farhad Tavakoli joins as senior relationship manager. Tavakoli has worked with several major multi-national businesses in London, Paris, Toronto, Tokyo and Geneva. He started his professional life at Ernst & Young UK.

In 1995, Tavakoli was recruited by the Capital Group Companies to help in the turnaround of the firm’s operational hub in Geneva where, in addition to line management responsibilities, he was given lead roles on a number of international assignments. In 2005, Tavakoli joined the Hinduja Group as the head of its private office in Geneva with responsibility for the management of the group’s diversified investment portfolio and group treasury.

Edward Gaere takes on the role of head of quantitative research. He will also lead the firm’s business development. Gaere is an expert and experienced in the more technical fields of alternative investments. He started his career in 1998 at Morgan Stanley in London in its asset management division and worked for the company out of its Singapore, New York, and London offices.

In 2001, he joined TSG Investment Management, a Geneva-based hedge fund, to develop its systematic trading strategies and grow its assets under management. In 2006, Gaere was hired by Union Bancaire Privée in Geneva as a senior hedge fund advisor. In 2009 he moved to Swissquote/ACM as head of its proprietary trading strategies.