Edmonds adds a touch of salt to team

Implemented Investment Solutions (IIS), has hired industry veteran, Anthony Sowerby, to spearhead the group’s expansion into new business lines.

The former Salt Funds Management chief operating officer, Sowerby joins IIS following a year-long stint in the Middle East with an initial brief to grow the group’s fund execution consulting business.

IIS founder, Anthony Edmonds, said Sowerby had a broad range of skills covering funds distribution, marketing and operations that would add value across the firm’s existing business units – including fund-hosting and the online InvestNow platform – as well as the new fund execution service.

“There’s strong demand from groups who want our help with projects like launching funds, MIS licencing, or reviewing how their funds work - rather than wanting our full-fund hosting services.

Sowerby’s experience at Salt means he is perfectly-placed to work on these projects,” Edmonds said.

“While he is, perhaps better-known as a sales and marketing specialist, Anthony demonstrated incredibly strong operational and product skills during his time as Salt’s chief operating officer as it established and grew funds as a newly-licensed manager under the Financial Markets Conduct Act.”

The two Anthonys were also former colleagues at AMP Capital NZ where Sowerby served as head of retail sales while Edmonds focused on the institutional market.

“Anthony and I were a great combination when we worked together way back in our AMP Capital days, so it’s an incredible opportunity to work together again in an environment where we control the strategic direction of the business,” Edmonds said.

Sowerby’s wide-ranging industry knowledge and experience would be especially useful as IIS embarked on its next growth phase.

The IIS PIE fund-hosting business has grown to almost $4 billion with the addition of Hobson Wealth earlier this month, joining a stable that includes Antipodes, First Sentier, Legg Mason, APN Property, Hunter Investment and Russell Investments. Meanwhile, online direct fund distribution platform,
InvestNow, now boasts over $370 million under management.

After launching in 2011, IIS has grown from small team of two to employ 13 staff including both graduates and experienced industry specialists.