The latest moves, appointments and personnel changes in the UK, continental Europe, Middle East and select international jurisdictions for wealth management.

Charles Russell Speechlys
Charles Russell Speechlys, the law firm headquartered in London, has appointed Racheal Muldoon (pictured below) as partner in its financial services and funds team. She is based in the UK. 


Racheal Muldoon

Muldoon is an internationally-recognised leading practitioner in the field of digital assets, including cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens, and tokenized real-world assets such as art and real estate, Charles Russell Speechlys said. Her work across decentralised finance includes advising on initial coin offerings (ICOs), drops, network support issues, cyber attacks leading to data breaches and smart contractual disputes. In relation to centralised finance, she advises banks, investment firms, family offices, wealth management firms, insurers, and litigation funders.

The firm also appointed to partner Maher Al Nashar (pictured below), who is joining its litigation team in Dubai. Prior to this, he worked at Clyde & Co and has worked with Middle East clients for more than three decades.
 

Maher Al Nashar

Stephenson Executive Search
Stephenson Executive Search, the UK-based firm operating in the wealth management sector, has appointed Joss Bucknall to the post of consultant.

Previously, Bucknall worked at Close Brothers Asset Management, according to a statement from the firm.

"His [Bucknall] experience at Close Brothers and Weatherbys underpins our business model of ensuring all our consultants have a deep understanding of our areas of expertise. In the last year, we have continued to grow exponentially, and Joss will be instrumental in supporting that growth," Billy Stephenson, CEO at the firm, said. 

Bucknall will focus on middle and back-office appointments across wealth, asset management, and family office sectors. Areas under his remit include compliance, risk, operations, technology, and financial control.

Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust
Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust (TEMIT) has appointed Sarika Patel as a non-executive director, effective 1 January. She will take on the role of chair of the audit and risk committee (“ARC”), working closely in the coming months with Simon Jeffreys, current chair of ARC, to ensure an orderly handover. Jeffreys, who was appointed in 2016, will retire from the board following the conclusion of the AGM in July 2025.

“I am delighted that Sarika has joined the board, she brings proven judgement and a wealth of experience which will be of considerable value to the Trust. I would also like to thank Simon Jeffreys for his contributions to the board and wish him well in his retirement,” Angus Macpherson, chair of TEMIT said. “Ms Patel is currently chair of abrdn Equity Income Trust and chairs the Audit and Risk Committee of SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust. She is an experienced business leader having worked as a senior corporate finance professional at Zeus Caps (a principal investment and advisory platform focused on infrastructure and related sectors operating in India, Europe and the Middle East) and Grant Thornton.”

Patel’s other responsibilities include chair of Action for Children and non-executive director of the Office for Nuclear Regulation. Previously Patel was audit and risk committee chair of both Foresight Sustainable Forest Company and Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income Fund. She is a chartered accountant, a chartered marketer, and holds an LLB from the University of Mumbai and an MSC e-business from the University of the West of Scotland.”

Rathbones Asset Management
Rathbones Asset Management (RAM) has appointed Kim Nelson as business development director to lead asset management distribution in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

She will be based locally in Glasgow to engage, support and build relationships with wealth managers, financial advisors and intermediary clients across the regions.

Nelson was previously head of the client group for Scotland and Northern Ireland at Schroders, where she led all contact with intermediary clients in those regions. Prior to this she spent almost five years with Tilney (previously Deutsche Bank) as relationship manager and business development manager.

“She brings enormous experience and technical knowledge to the role and has a strong track record of building and maintaining relationships with intermediaries in an important region for RAM,” James Crossley, head of asset management distribution at RAM, said.