Hedge-fund seeder Larch Lane Advisors turns to alt-asset veteran Mirabile. Larch Lane Advisors, an affiliate of Old Mutual Asset Management that provides hedge fund investment strategies to qualified individual and institutional investors, has appointed Kevin Mirabile as its COO. He reports to Larch Lane's CEO Mark Jurish.

"Kevin is well-equipped to help Larch Lane expand our already significant presence in the hedge fund space and strengthen our unique position as a successful seed capital provider to new and emerging managers," says Jurish.

AIG deal

Mirabile had been COO of Pleasantville, N.Y.-based hedge-fund manager Orca Asset Management. Before that he was president of Morgan Stanley Trust Company. He has also held management positions with Daiwa Securities and Barclays Capital.

In addition to hiring a COO, Larch Lane has just formed a joint venture with AIG Investments to "to capitalize on synergies between" AIG's "global alternative investment and hedge-fund capabilities and Larch Lane's specialization in hedge fund seeding."

"This venture gives us the opportunity to not only invest with up-and-coming managers, but also more directly participate in the profit growth of a rapidly growing industry," says Robert Discolo, head of hedge-fund strategies at New York-based AIG Investments.

Meanwhile San Francisco-based Ashfield Capital Partners, another Old Mutual affiliate, has named Joseph Caticchio as head of institutional marketing and consultant relations. He was v.p. of sales and client services for Ullico Investment Company, a Washington, D.C.-based insurance, financial services provider to U.S. labor-union members.

Ashfield manages about $4 billion, mainly for retail distribution from mutual-fund wrap programs.

Rye Brook, N.Y.-based Larch Lane has completed more than 22 hedge-fund seeding transactions. -FWR

Purchase reproduction rights to this article.