People Moves

Who’s Moving Where In Wealth Management? – Withers, First Eagle Investments, Others

Editorial staff 28 May 2025

Who’s Moving Where In Wealth Management? – Withers, First Eagle Investments, Others

The latest moves, appointments and personnel changes among wealth management and related organisations in the UK, the rest of Europe, the Middle East, Africa and select international locations.

Withers
Global law firm Withers has appointed Paul Hewitt (pictured below) as its new chair with effect from 1 July 2025, at which point he will work closely alongside Withers' CEO Margaret Robertson.

Hewitt will be succeeding chairperson Justine Markovitz, who has occupied the role for the maximum period of two terms since 2019.

Hewitt, who joined Withers in 1998, is a trusts and inheritance disputes lawyer, based in London. He specialises in trust and probate disputes, as well as working with many charities on disputes regarding legacies, the firm said in a statement.

Case highlights include representing Prince Mukarram Jah, His Exalted Highness Nizam VIII of Hyderabad, in a dispute stretching back to the partition of India and Pakistan, and a “record-breaking” claim brought 25 years after the death of a spouse in Thakare -v- Bhusate.

“Paul is a universally respected partner at the firm, as much for his thriving practice and dedication to his clients as for the numerous contributions he has already made to the governance and management of the firm,” Robertson said. “I very much look forward to working with him as we strive to ensure that Withers remains the leading global private client law firm as trusted advisors to families, founders, fiduciaries and businesses, as well as governments, charities and financial institutions."

First Eagle Investments
First Eagle Investments has appointed Rémi Casals as executive managing director, head of International Wealth Solutions (IWS). Casals leads the team responsible for the firm’s international wholesale distribution business, which comprises approximately $10 billion in assets through its partnership with Amundi Asset Management and its Ireland-based ICAV investment offerings. He has joined the firm’s partnership committee and reports directly to Mehdi Mahmud, president and chief executive officer.

With 25 years of experience delivering investment solutions to clients globally, Casals brings deep expertise across public markets as well as alternative strategies. Most recently, he served as global head of fixed income business at Vontobel Asset Management, where he led a team involved with marketing fixed income investments to high net worth and ultra-high net worth investors, family offices and institutions.

Previously, Casals served in executive and senior distribution roles at Aviva Investors, Rogge Global Partners, AXA Investment Managers and BlackRock, in particular dealing with European and international markets. He holds an executive MBA from the London Business School, a master’s degree in management from ESCP Business School and a master’s degree in political science from Sciences Po Strasbourg.

In addition to leading the team responsible for distributing First Eagle strategies across non-US wealth channels, Casals will help manage the firm’s global growth strategy.

The firm said that his appointment underscores First Eagle’s ongoing commitment to expanding its footprint outside the US and delivering differentiated, actively managed investment solutions to clients worldwide.

“Rémi brings a wealth of experience across products and market segments,” Mahmud said. “I expect his leadership skills to further our efforts to broaden our reach in markets outside the US.”

P1 Investment Services
P1 Investment Services, operator of the P1 Platform, has appointed James Bishop as senior platform account manager.

Bishop has more than 15 years of experience across financial institutions including M&G plc, Old Mutual, Standard Life Aberdeen, and AXA Wealth.

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