Polar Capital Holdings has recruited Nick Evans, from Axa Framlington Investment Management, as a senior fund manager in its technology team. Mr Evans joined Axa Framlington in August 2000 and was lead manager of both the AXA Framlington Global Tech Fund and AWF Framlington Global Tech Fund. Previously, he spent around three years at Hill Samuel Asset Management most recently as an investment manager of Pan-European equities and formerly as an Assistant Investment Manager of UK Pension Funds. Polar Capital was founded in London in December 2000 by Brian Ashford-Russell and Tim Woolley, who were previously responsible for the management of Henderson Global Investors' technology funds. In October 2006 the firm reached agreement with a subsidiary of Bermuda-based insurer XL Capital to provide up to $175 million in investment seed capital to support the launch of new funds. Polar Capital has a staff of 56 including 34 investment professionals managing 16 funds, one managed account and two advisory relationships. The funds, which are aimed at institutional and professional investors, had $3.8 billion in combined assets under management at the end of June. Polar Capital's first business unit focused on the technology sector, and subsequent recruitment resulted in the establishment of the Japan and UK teams (2001), Europe (2003), global emerging markets (2004), utilities (2005), and macro and global opportunities (2006).