Central Park Group, a US investment firm, has announced that James Hawkes, the former chairman and chief executive of US investment firm Eaton Vance, has joined its board.

Central Park Group, an independent investment advisory firm, delivers private client and smaller institutional investors access to top hedge fund, private equity, real estate and fund-of-funds talent and provides investors with the solutions and benefits associated with alternative investment strategies.

Mr Hawkes joined Eaton Vance in 1970 as an equity research analyst. He was named president and chief executive in 1996 and chairman of the board in 1997.

Central Park Group was founded by Greg Brousseau and Mitchell Tanzman, co-founders and former co-heads of the UBS and Oppenheimer alternative investment businesses, to serve the growing demand for alternative investments among high net worth and smaller institutional investors.