Schroders appoints Head of Private Assets, to include ILS oversight

Global asset management group Schroders has appointed Alan Cauberghs to Head of Private Assets in a promotion that will see a new role created to bring together a number of alternative investment solution categories, including some of the insurance-linked securities business at the firm via Secquaero.

The Private Assets division at Schroders includes a range of alternative asset class specialist units, including the insurance linked securities management business of Secquaero, SME direct lending firm NEOS, specialist private equity solutions business Adveq, as well as Real Estate and Infrastructure Financing businesses.

The new role is designed to bring together these specialist units, along with other private asset categories under real estate, infrastructure financing, private debt and private equity, with the idea of being able to offer clients a holistic range of alternative private asset options.

Secquaero, which is a part of the Schroder Group, acts as the exclusive advisor to the various ILS investment strategies managed at Schroders, including its Gaia UCITS cat bond fund and other strategies focused on catastrophe bonds or private ILS assets.

Secquaero also acts as specialist consultant, helping to bring together investors with risk, or to enable ceding companies to access the capital markets.

Cauberghs will be tasked with bringing together the diverse range of asset classes under the banner of Private Assets at Schroders, to help the firm grow these important pieces of the global business.

Peter Harrison, Group Chief Executive of Schroders, commented on the appointment; “Our private assets businesses share many common factors and by drawing together our activities, we will ensure that we make the most of their growth potential in this strategically important area for the firm. I am delighted to promote internal talent and with Alan having more than 22 years of industry experience and invaluable knowledge of private assets we will be able to grow our suite of investment solutions for our clients.”

Cauberghs added; “We believe Private Assets is an asset class with great growth potential and by combining our suite of investment solutions we can offer our clients access to an alternative asset class allowing greater diversification and better returns. The integrated approach will enable us to engage with our clients in order to achieve specific, well defined outcomes.”

Cauberghs is promoted from his previous role as Senior Investment Director for Fixed Income at Schroders and he’s been with the asset manager for a number of years, prior to which he was a founding partner of alternative credit asset manager Serone Capital Management LLP, and held roles including Managing Director at Fischer Francis Trees & Watts and Deputy Head of Fixed Income at Dexia Asset Management.

Secquaero’s recognised ability to source, design, structure and manage complex ILS investment solutions and assets will likely benefit from greater exposure within Schroders and to its global investor client base, thanks to the new focus on private assets at the group.