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

Charles Russell Speechlys
Law firm Charles Russell Speechlys has appointed Robert Lundie Smith (pictured) as partner and head of Intellectual Property. He succeeds Mary Bagnall who, after more than a decade leading the group, will continue to support the firm as a consultant.

Since joining in November from EIP, Lundie Smith has established himself as an integral part of the firm’s IP team. Lundie Smith, with a track record as a litigator, will aim to strengthen the firm’s cross-border contentious capability; deepen collaboration across its international offices; work closely with the network of international firms the firm and clients have connections with; and invest in outstanding talent “to deliver success alongside innovative, commercially focused solutions for clients.”

“His technical depth, commercial mindset and natural leadership abilities make him exceptionally well-suited to guide the group into its next chapter,” Bagnall said. “It has been a privilege to lead such a talented and committed team over the last decade, and I am confident that under Rob’s leadership the practice will continue to grow from strength to strength, broadening our global IP offering and full service offering for clients.”

This transition forms part of the firm’s investment in the IP space, including its welcome of Dewdney Drew to lead the brand protection practice, and more recently the appointment of Valeria Tomasi, an Italian IP lawyer with both contentious and non-contentious IP rights experience, to its Milan office.

Brooks Macdonald
UK wealth manager, Brooks Macdonald has appointed Will Hobbs as chief investment officer (CIO), effective 7 April 2026, subject to regulatory approval. He will report to Andrea Montague, CEO Brooks Macdonald.

Hobbs has extensive experience in managing global portfolios, equities, sector allocations, and investment strategies for high net worth and UHNW clients. He began his career with Barclays more than 20 years ago as a senior global equity analyst/vice president in the consumer sector, serving in roles of increasing seniority including head of global equity strategy, head of investment strategy and, most recently, CIO and head of UK multi asset wealth.

“With his leadership and depth and breadth of experience, Will is an invaluable addition to our team as we continue to deliver strong investment performance, product innovation, and excellent client service,” Montague said.

Brooks Macdonald is entrusted with £20 billion ($2.67 billion) in client assets.

Fulcrum Asset Management
Fulcrum Asset Management has appointed Karl Sternberg (pictured below) as a senior independent advisor to its Fulcrum Alternative Solutions business, where he will provide strategic guidance to the team as it takes on additional clients for its open architecture strategies.

Karl Sternberg

Sternberg began his career as an active equity manager at Morgan Grenfell in London, prior to its acquisition by Deutsche Bank. In 1997 he became CIO of Axiom in Australia, following its acquisition by Deutsche. Having returned to London in roles covering a range of asset classes, he became heavily involved in two more US acquisitions by Deutsche: Scudder and Bankers Trust. His last role at Deutsche Asset Management was as CIO for World ex-US, where he was responsible for some 600 investment professionals worldwide.

He left in 2004 to found Oxford Investment Partners (OXIP), to help a number of colleges to professionalise their investments and to provide access to a broader range of assets, akin to US endowments. The University of Oxford subsequently established a centrally-run endowment office. The business was sold to Willis Towers Watson in 2013.

Sternberg, who had been a member since 1999, and a fellow since 2008, was then made chairman of the Christ Church investment committee. After managing the St Catherine’s College endowment as a Morgan Grenfell client, he joined their investment committee in 2004.

At the same time, he served on a number of corporate boards and investment trusts, three of which he chaired. For six years he helped to professionalise the investment teams of Railways Pension fund. Last year Sternberg stepped down from Christ Church and St Catherine’s, and became Emeritus Fellow of both colleges.

“I have known and worked alongside Karl for at least two decades,” Fulcrum chairman, Gavyn Davies, said. “He has led some of the most respected investment businesses in our industry, and his experience in different aspects of asset management is almost unparalleled. It is an honour to be able to work with him again at Fulcrum.”