The latest moves and appointments for wealth management roles in the UK, and other parts of Europe, the Middle East and select international locations.

Carey Olsen
Carey Olsen, an offshore law firm, has promoted Laura Kearns (pictured) to partner within its trusts and private wealth practice in Bermuda.

Kearn’s practice covers all aspects of trust law, including trust establishment and administration, restructurings and variations, and related regulatory matters. She advises both trustees and beneficiaries on non-contentious restructurings and blessing applications before the Bermuda court. She also carries out a broad range of estate planning work including will drafting, estate administration, and deals with matters of incapacity.

Kearns joined Carey Olsen in 2022 after having qualified as a solicitor of England and Wales in 2015. She practised in a leading private client firm in London as well as a regional firm in the South West before moving to Bermuda. Kearns is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.

"Since joining Carey Olsen, Laura has made an outstanding contribution to our Bermuda trusts and private wealth practice,” Keith Robinson, Bermuda partner and global head of Carey Olsen's trusts and private wealth practice, said. “She is known for her collaborative approach, excellent client service, and for being a pleasure to work with. Her promotion is a well-deserved reflection of her talent, knowledge and the value she brings to both the firm and to our clients. We are delighted to welcome Laura to the partnership."

Carey Olsen Bermuda Limited is a company limited by shares incorporated in Bermuda and approved and recognised under the Bermuda Bar (Professional Companies) Rules 2009.

Avaloq
Avaloq, the Switzerland-headquartered technology firm working with banks, wealth managers and other financial institutions, has appointed Nidhi Singh (pictured below) as chief product and development officer and member of the group executive board, effective 7 September. Her appointment forms part of a planned leadership transition as Fabio Baj steps down from the group executive board.

Nidhi Singh

Based at Avaloq’s headquarters in Zurich, Singh will lead Avaloq's global product strategy, product management, development and engineering functions, with responsibility for defining and delivering the company's product roadmap.

As Avaloq advances its Mid-Term Plan 2030, Singh will be instrumental in delivering the company’s strategic priorities and shaping the next generation of technology solutions for the wealth management industry. She will lead the development and execution of Avaloq's product roadmap.

Singh has more than two decades of product development experience. Previously, she served as chief product officer at Charles River Development, where she led product strategy, product marketing and product management across the company's institutional, wealth management and private markets businesses.

“Nidhi has successfully led major product organisations and delivered complex transformation programmes throughout her career,” Martin Greweldinger, chief executive officer at Avaloq, said. “Her experience and leadership will be instrumental as we execute our product roadmap and continue to advance our vision of powering wealth globally.

“I would also like to express my gratitude to Fabio Baj for his exceptional contribution to Avaloq over many years. Fabio has played a defining role in shaping our product strategy and software development capabilities, and I am glad that we will continue to benefit from his expertise at Avaloq,” Greweldinger said.

Rathbones
UK-listed Rathbones has appointed Olivia McCormick and Clara Opoku (both pictured below) as directors in its charities business development team. They will be based in London reporting to Gemma Gooch, head of charities distribution.

Olivia McCormick

Clara Opoku

McCormick’s remit is to drive the firm's work across the charities, endowment and foundation market. Previously, she was at the Department for Business and Trade, where she led government engagement with the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council and senior industry stakeholders to help shape national investment and growth policy. McCormick has also held senior positions at BlackRock, where she managed relationships with global investment consultants. She holds a BA in history from the University of Oxford. She has served as a trustee of The Old Church, Stoke Newington, and as an observer to the Ofwat board.

Opoku has joined from Cazenove Charities where she was assistant portfolio manager supporting a diverse range of charity clients on their investment portfolios. She also contributed to business development activities, including client engagement and supporting new business opportunities. Before moving into investment management, Opoku worked as a strategy consultant at PA Consulting.

“I am thrilled to welcome Clara and Olivia to Rathbones,” Gooch said. “Both bring exceptional experience, complementary skill sets and a genuine passion for supporting charities by helping them advance their missions through strong long-term investment outcomes.”