KPMG hires chief economist for PE

• The Park Hill Group, a division of the Blackstone Group, has hired former PineBridge Investments European secondaries chief Pablo Calo as a managing principal based in London to focus on providing secondaries services to clients across Europe, the firm said. Calo most recently worked as head of PineBridge Investment’s European private equity secondaries group. 

• KPMG has hired Constance Hunter as its chief economist for its alternative investments practice, which focuses on providing audit, tax and advisory services to hedge, private equity, real estate, infrastructure and fund of funds. Based in New York, Hunter will work on economic forecasting, strategy and client relationship development in the newly created role. Hunter was previously deputy chief investment officer for fixed income at AXA Investment Managers.

• Mike Trenouth has joined Alvarez & Marsal’s European private equity practice as managing director. Prior to joining A&M Trenouth spent eight years as a partner with business strategy consultants LEK Consulting in London where he led a number of operational due diligence projects for both private equity and corporate clients.

• Compliance consultants Cordium has made two hires. Peter Guarino, former chief compliance officer of asset management firm Timberline Asset Management, joins the Boston office as vice president. Meanwhile Cordium’s New York office will see the arrival of Vivek Pingili as vice president. He was previously a regulatory lawyer with Proskauer Rose.

• Cinven has lost founding partner Andrew Joy to wealth manager Fleming Family & Partners. He joins as a senior private equity adviser, where he will chair the group's private equity investment committee.

• UK Business Angels Association, the national trade body representing angel and early stage investment, and media company AngelNews, have teamed up to create the UK Business Angel Institute. The institute will provide educational training courses for private investors to build and develop angel investing skills. 

• Investec, the London-listed banking group, has hired Grant Davidson in its growth and acquisition finance team. Davidson, who spent eight years at mid-market firm Lyceum Capital, will be in charge of sourcing and executing deals for both entrepreneurs and private equity firms.

• Fund administrator Langham Hall moved offices in Jersey. Langham’s Jersey practice will now be based at 3rd Floor, Walker House, 28-34 Hill Street in St Helier.

• Centenium Advisors, a placement agent focused on alternatives funds in emerging markets, has hired Ted Cleary as a vice president. He was previously vice president with placement agent TransPacific Group.

• Trust, corporate and fund administration services provider, First Names Group, has appointed Morgan Jubb as the group’s chief executive. Morgan will replace the current chief executive Declan Kenny who will move in to the role of executive chairman. Morgan has been chief financial and operating officer since July when First Names completed the management buyout of IFG Trust and Corporate Group.

• Investment services firm BNY Mellon has appointed Jeff Pamplin as head of client service management for its alternative investment services business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Pamplin joins from State Street, where he led the integration of its Goldman Sachs administration services acquisition.