Morningside goes back to CPPIB roots for latest hire

The secondaries firm has hired George Weekes, a former Canada Pension Plan Investment Board funds, secondaries and co-investment professional.

Morningside Capital Management, founded by two former employees of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, has tapped its alma mater for its new member of staff.

George Weekes has joined as a principal, according to a statement from the firm. He comes from the London office of investment manager Citadel where he was a senior associate focusing on listed equities in the industrials sectors of Europe and North America.

Prior to joining Citadel, Weekes worked at CPPIB in the funds, secondaries and co-investment and principal credit investment groups, the statement noted. He has experience across the private equity, high-yield credit and structured finance asset classes.

“Tori [Buffery] and I previously worked with George during his time with CPP Investment Board and we are delighted to be working together again,” said founding partner Henry Zhang.

Toronto-based Morningside focuses on restructurings, GP-led secondaries processes and structured finance transactions, according to its website. It has led $155 million in GP-led secondaries investments to date. This hire brings the number of senior investment professionals at the firm to three.

Co-founder Tori Buffery ranked sixth in the Young Guns Class of 2018, Secondaries Investor‘s most recent list of the most influential people in the industry under 36.