Investec bolsters fund finance roster

Investec has made four hires in its fund finance team, according to a statement from the specialist investment bank.

Nick Rusling, Alan Macdonald, Ian Weise and Oliver Bartholomew will be based in the bank’s London office, and “will play a key role in the development of the fund finance team as an innovative and agile financing provider”.

Led by global head of fund finance Simon Hamilton, the team provide financing solutions to private equity funds and fund management teams. In the past year the fund finance team has completed more than 100 transactions. The hires bring the global team to 19.

Rusling joins from Barclays’ debt finance team, where he was a director. In December 2015 he managed the sales process of a book of debt to asset manager Ares.

McDonald, who has more than seven years’ post-qualification experience across financial law with particular expertise in leveraged and investment grade financing, joins the fund finance legal risk team from Debevoise & Plimpton.

Wiese is transferring from Investec’s Johannesburg office, where he was part of the specialised finance team for the last four years, having originally trained as a lawyer. Bartholomew is also transferring within Investec, from the bank’s security & covenant management team.

In the statement, Hamilton said the industry has grown “exponentially”, and that the team must find ways to deliver innovative and purpose-driven financing products to clients.

“It is becoming clearer that the type of financing that the Fund Finance team provides is becoming a necessity to private equity firms around the world,” he said.

Hamilton added that the team is continuing to build its presence globally, particularly in Australia, South Africa and the US.