Crown Agents Investment Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations Limited and is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA).
We have no corporate links or investments in securities or broking houses which may give rise to conflicts of interests.
Our directors and senior staff
K White, Chairman
Keith White is Chief Executive of Crown Agents and a member of the Crown Agents Foundation. He is also Chairman of Crown Agents Investment Management (CAIM) and Director of Crown Agents Bank. Keith White joined Crown Agents in 1971 and specialised in international trade law and practice. He was Company Secretary until 1998 and was chief operating officer until 2005. He is the author of published articles and lectures on documentary credits, bankers' guarantees and other aspects of international trade law.
E-mail:keith.white@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6081
I Morrison, Managing Director
Iain Morrison worked for fifteen years in the Bank of England, his last seven years in Banking Supervision with responsibility for the smaller UK deposit-takers. He joined the company in 1990 and became an Executive Director on 1 April 2005. As Director of Operations he was responsible for customer services and also the company's back office and systems. From 1 July 2007 he also deputised for the Managing Director and became Managing Director of Crown Agents Bank and Crown Agents Investment Management on 1 November 2008.
Email: iain.morrison@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8710 6077
M Naameh, Executive Director & Chief Investment Officer
Michael Naameh has executive responsibility for fund management and client relations and chairs the CAIM Investment Advisory Panel. He was chief investment officer from 1994 to 2000 and has returned to the role with effect from July 2007. From 2000 to June 2007 he was the director in charge of overseeing the company's business development, economic research and advisory services. He joined Crown Agents as a fund manager in 1989 and became a director in 1995. Prior to joining Crown Agents, Michael was a senior consultant with an international firm of actuaries. He has published widely on central bank reserve management, pension fund management, risk management and financial sector development issues. Michael holds a BA (Hons) in Business Studies and an MSc in International and Monetary Economics and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA).
E-mail: michael.naameh@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6137
M Symes, Executive Director & General Manager
Mike Symes is responsible for CAIM's client administration, operational systems and counterparty relationships. He is also Crown Agents Bank's director of treasury which provides foreign exchange and money market services to Crown Agents clients worldwide. Mike has over 20 years banking and business development experience and has worked very closely with central bank clients over this period. He has also lectured on numerous financial training courses.
E-mail: mike.symes@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6133
S Hollingdale, Director, Finance & Compliance
Stephen Hollingdale is responsible for compliance and all regulatory aspects of the business as well as financial accounting. He is involved in advisory services and lectures frequently on regulatory issues. He has worked for Crown Agents since 1978, holding senior positions in Crown Agents Investment Management since 1989. He is a chartered accountant and founder member of the Securities and Investment Institute and the Compliance Institute.
E-mail: stephen.hollingdale@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6177
S Ponder, Director of Business Development
During 20 years with Crown Agents, Stuart Ponder has specialised in the development of relationships with central banks and other government bodies covering a diverse range of financial services, in building Crown Agents capacity to deliver modern training solutions for banks and other financial sector players in developing countries, in trade finance and in building and implementing the strategies to develop financial services business. He has strong team building and leadership experience having built and led a team of people responsible for developing and maintaining relationships in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, regions where he has travelled extensively.
Stuart has directed and participated in banking reform projects and is a regular contributor to the design and delivery of Crown Agents training courses. Prior to joining Crown Agents Stuart worked in the City of London in political risk management and asset finance.
E-mail: stuart.ponder@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6288
D D'Sa, Senior Fund Manager (Fixed Income & Currency)
Dean D'sa, CFA is a multi-currency bond portfolio manager with a particular focus on the US markets. Prior to joining Crown Agents Investment Management, Dean managed indexed and structured fixed income products at a large global asset manager for three years. Dean has been working in the investment management industry since 2001. He holds a BSc in Management Sciences from Warwick University and an MSc in Banking and International Finance from City University Business School. He is also a CFA charterholder.
E-mail: dean.d'sa@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6391
S Price, Senior Fund Manager (Equities)
Simon Price manages international balanced-fund portfolios with a particular focus on US and UK equities. Simon joined CAIML in 2000 and has industry experience dating back to 1994. Simon previously worked for Barclays in their Stockbrokers and Private Client divisions. Simon holds a BA (Hons) in Accounting & Finance from London City University as well as industry qualifications including the IIMR Investment Management Certificate and membership of the MSI Securities Institute.
E-mail: simon.price@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6753
R Woodall, Senior Fund Manager (Equities)
Robin Woodall has 25 years experience in fund management. After starting as an analyst at Swiss Reinsurance, he joined the Electricity Pension Scheme as a UK equity fund manager becoming head of UK equities. Robin took a significant role in the agreed merger of the fund with Foreign & Colonial Management in 1996. He became a Director of F&C and from 2001 he was head of UK equities managing a successful team of equity fund managers with £15 billion of UK equities under management. Robin has also acted as advisor to a climate change fund and as a non-executive director of a fully listed plc. Robin is a Cambridge graduate; he has completed the Investment Management Programme at the London Business School and is a member of the UK Society of Investment Professionals. At Crown Agents, Robin has primary responsibility for managing Sterling-based pension funds.
Email: robin.woodall@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8710 6669
C Forage, Fund Manager (Fixed Income)
Chris Forage joined CAIM in 2007. He had previously spent sixteen years in the Middle East as a senior portfolio manager responsible for fixed income, strategy, and asset allocation for ADIA who manage the oil revenues of the United Arab Emirates. Prior to taking up that post he had been a trader for ten years with Bank of America, Bank of Tokyo and Royal Bank Canada; making markets in European currency, government and supra national bonds. He has a degree in Business from Guildford College, Surrey and has gained extensive experience from both the clients' and markets' perspectives.
E-mail: chris.forage@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6644
S Soroczynski, Senior Fund Manager (Fixed Income & Currency)
Slawek Soroczynski is a multicurrency fixed income fund manager. He has over 14 years trading experience in many sectors of the fixed income markets and in foreign exchange and derivative products. Slawek worked for Commerzbank Group for six years as a senior local currency Bond Trader focusing in particular on Central Eastern Europe. Prior to joining Commerzbank, he had been chief dealer at Bank Przemyslowo-Handlowy in Krakow, Poland with responsibility for all treasury trading operations. Slawek lectured on financial markets and instruments at the Academy of Economics, Krakow, and is co-author of two books on the Polish financial markets. He holds an MA in Finance and Banking from the University of Łodź.
Email: slawomir.soroczynski@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6637
A Lowe, Economist
Alina Lowe has responsibility for analysing and forecasting economic trends in major economies. She provides day-to-day support to CAIM's fund managers and interpretations, forecasts and policy advice to clients. Alina provides input to, and edits, the company's weekly and monthly market research publications and quarterly economic outlook. She also conducts training and presentations for colleagues and clients. Alina Lowe joined CAIM in 2000 after working in marketing and project management positions elsewhere in the Crown Agents group. She is an Economics graduate and holds a Masters in Business Administration.
E-mail: alina.lowe@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6807
J Ilori, Fund Manager Assistant
James Ilori, MBA works directly with the fund managers on investment portfolios, principally in the fixed income asset class. In addition, he writes the regular weekly and monthly market commentaries on emerging and developing markets. He is, also, responsible for business development and client training with particular focus on pension funds in emerging markets. James joined CAIM in 2007 after eight-years experience in banking operations, internal control, corporate banking and client relationship management with Guaranty Trust Bank. James holds a BSc (Hons) in Accounting and an MSc in Economics. He has an MBA from Warwick Business School. James has, also, attained the Investment Management Certificate (IMC) qualification and is a member of the CFA Society of the UK. He is currently a Level 3 CFA candidate.
E-mail: james.ilori@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6622
Biographies of other specialist staff
M Robins, Client Administrator
Michael Robins is responsible for the client administration function within CAIM, ensuring the accurate and timely provision of all client funds accounting and reporting requirements. Before joining CAIM in 2001, Michael worked for 32 years in International Banking and has considerable experience of the finance industry.
E-mail: mike.robins@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6212
S Sharma D'Costa, Cash Manager
Seema Sharma D'Costa has worked for Crown Agents since 1998, when she joined as a cash manager. She has extensive experience in cash management having previously worked for four years in Thomas Cook and for eights years in British Airways. Seema is responsible for ensuring that client accounts are adequately funded and that excess funds are efficiently deployed. She works closely with the fund managers and the treasury department of Crown Agents Bank in executing client transactions.
E-mail: seema.d'costa@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6144
L Glen, Performance Manager
Laura Glen is responsible for calculating performance data for client, portfolio management and business development reporting purposes. She maintains composite data in accordance with the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS) and delivers training support for clients. Laura joined CAIM in July 2000 and holds a BA (Hons) degree in Business Economics from Kingston University. She completed her Investment Administration Qualification (IAQ) in 2005 and has since been an Associate of the Securities and Investment Institute.
E-mail: laura.glen@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6158
C Nash, Risk Analyst
Charlie Nash is a research analyst, specialising in risk management, and working closely with the fund managers to evaluate and monitor various risk parameters associated with investment decisions. She is also involved in the analysis of new product structures and supports client training programmes. Charlie holds a Science degree from the University of Sussex and joined CAIM in 2007.
E-mail: charlie.nash@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6354
P Johnson, Assistant Client Administrator
Paul Johnson works closely with the Head of Client Administration and Cash Manager within CAIM ensuring client accounts are well maintained and reporting requirements are dealt with in a timely fashion. Paul holds a BA (Hons) degree in Graphic Design from The Surrey Institute of Art & Design. Prior to joining CAIM in May 2008, Paul worked for Crown Agents Bank in 2007 and has a further 6 years experience in Retail Banking within the RBS Group.
E-Mail: paul.johnson@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8710 6601
G Carpenter, PA, Corporate and Investment Advisory Panel
Gwenda Carpenter provides corporate administrative support to CAIM's directors and Investment Advisory Panel, assistance with client communication and liaison and general secretarial support to the investment team. Gwenda joined CAIM in 2001 after gaining considerable experience working in the financial sector.
E-mail: gwenda.carpenter@crownagents.co.uk
Tel: +44(0)20 8710 6292
Investment Advisory Panel - External Members
Steve Wiltshire, Investment Advisory Panel
Steve Wiltshire is founder and managing director of SW1 Consulting, a specialist management consultancy, providing advice to institutional investment managers on best practices. Prior to establishing his own advisory firm, he had a distinguished career with the Russell Group spanning 21 years in senior positions including Chief Investment Officer, Director of Research and Director of Quantitative Services. He started his career in financial services as a fixed income analyst with Prudential Bache Securities in 1987. Steve holds a PhD in environmental science and is a registered representative of the London Stock Exchange.
William Jensen, Investment Advisory Panel
William Jensen has, since 1983, held senior research and portfolio management positions, at director level, with several City firms including stockbrokers Fleming Private Asset Management, and Grieg Middleton, which became Gerrard, where he was head of research for several years. He took responsibility for the charities investment business after Gerrard was acquired by Barclays. He is currently Finance & Estates Bursar and Official Fellow at Exeter College, Oxford with responsibility for College finances and for managing the College's endowment in international financial markets through various equity, property, fixed income and hedge funds. William is a regular contributor on investment markets to Charity Finance.