ICG adds to North American sales team

Global mezzanine powerhouse ICG has hired Chris Austin as its global head of consultant relations in North America.

Global mezzanine powerhouse ICG has hired Chris Austin as its global head of consultant relations in North America.

As part of his new sales role, Austin will be involved in the distribution of secondaries, according to a spokesperson at the firm’s London office. Austin will also be responsible for liquid credit strategies globally and will bring the total number of staff in ICG’s global distribution team to 14.

Austin joins ICG after seven years as head of US sales and global consultant relations with Boston-based fixed income firm Standish, according to a statement. Austin began his career at Mercer Investment Consulting as a senior research analyst, and then moved to State Street Research, where he managed the consultant relations strategy in the US.

“Chris has proven credentials and an excellent track record in the market, and he will contribute solidly to strengthening ICG’s investor and consultant relations in this very important and complex market,” said Christophe Evain, managing director and CEO of ICG, in the statement. “ICG’s global distribution team is a key component of ICG’s strategy to deliver our range of corporate investment, real estate and strategic secondary strategies, and to increase significantly net new third party AUM.”

Last November, publicly-listed ICG launched its secondaries platform by acquiring NewGlobe Partners, a secondaries advisory firm that spun out of Vision Capital.