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

Quilter
Quilter, the UK-based wealth management firm, has appointed Kristy Barr (pictured) as managing director, UK platform and investment solutions.

Barr will lead Quilter’s advisor-facing platform and investment distribution teams when she joins the business in early 2027. Reporting to Steve Gazard, chief distribution officer at Quilter, she will be responsible for developing strategic relationships with advice firms and supporting the continued growth of Quilter’s proposition. Working with advisors across the UK, she will help shape Quilter’s approach to supporting advisor businesses, providing insight into advisor needs, technology developments and broader industry trends.

Her previous experience includes senior leadership roles at Aberdeen, BMO Global Asset Management and, most recently, Octopus Investments, where she served as head of retail and a member of the executive committee; previously, she had been the distribution director.

Barr's appointment follows the decision of Nigel Jeffries to retire after more than 15 years with Quilter. She will join the business ahead of his retirement in March 2027, to ensure a smooth transition.

"As part of our planned succession ahead of Nigel’s retirement, we conducted a thorough search for his successor, and I am delighted that Kristy is joining my leadership team,” Gazard, chief said.

"I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Nigel for his dedication and contribution over more than 15 years with Quilter. He has played a significant role in the growth of our business, the success of our platform and the strong relationships we have built across the market. He leaves with our very best wishes for a long and happy retirement," Gazard added.

Gemcorp Capital
Gemcorp Capital, the asset management arm of the Gemcorp Group, has appointed Mariya Gancheva as chief strategist and portfolio manager for Emerging Markets Distressed & Special Situations Credit.

Gancheva’s remit will be to identify and discover mispriced risk across emerging markets’ public credit, including sovereign and corporate bonds, and in particular distressed and special situations. She will lead the research process behind the strategy, combining top-down macro and sovereign analysis with Gemcorp’s “deep emerging markets expertise in public policy, economic fundamentals, and financing dynamics that ultimately drive credit outcomes,” the firm said in a statement.

Gancheva brings more than 20 years of experience in emerging markets credit investing and strategy. Prior to joining Gemcorp, she was head of Emerging Market Distressed Credit at Morgan Stanley and head of Emerging Market Credit Trading Strategy at HSBC. Gancheva also held investment and research positions at Mitsubishi UFJ Securities, Merrill Lynch, and Fitch Ratings.

“Mariya pairs rigorous, cycle-tested research with the conviction to act,” Parvoleta Shtereva, chief investment officer at Gemcorp Capital, said. “Her appointment is an important step as we build Gemcorp into the leading name in emerging markets investing, across both public markets and private credit.”

Gancheva added. “The best opportunities in emerging markets credit are often the ones the market has written off. Finding them takes patient research, local insight, and a willingness to look past consensus.”