Our team
We form enduring relationships with our clients to offer a service tailored to your needs.
Al Bryant, CFA
Head of Emerging Markets, ILC Equities
Al Bryant, CFA
Head of Emerging Markets, ILC Equities
Al Bryant is a portfolio manager and CIO/DOR in the Industrial Life Cycle (ILC) Equity team, specifically managing the Emerging Market (large cap) and Emerging Market Opportunities (smid cap) strategies. Mr. Bryant joined River and Mercantile in June of 2017. Prior to that, Al spent twelve years at Credit Suisse. During that time, Al focused on developing and implementing global equity investment strategies based upon the ILC framework. The ILC framework is a structured global equity investment process that Al has been developing since 2004. Prior to joining Credit Suisse, Mr. Bryant spent four years as a portfolio manager for institutional and private clients at Segall Bryant & Hamill Investment Counsel, based in Chicago. Mr. Bryant holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a BA in Urban Studies and Economics from the College of Wooster
Alex Hoctor-Duncan
Chief Executive Officer
Alex Hoctor-Duncan
Chief Executive Officer
Alex Hoctor-Duncan has worked within the industry since 1995. He was Global Head of Aberdeen Standard Investments until June 2021. Before joining Standard Life Aberdeen in September 2018, Alex was Head of the European Middle East and Africa (EMEA) business at BlackRock. Prior to this Alex was Head of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers UK business which subsequently became part of BlackRock. Alex was on the board of the UK Investment Association and is currently a non-executive director of TISA. Alex became Chief Executive Officer of River and Mercantile in February 2022. His significant industry experience and asset management expertise will contribute to River and Mercantile's long-term sustainable success.
Allan Vlah
Partner, Infrastructure
Allan Vlah
Partner, Infrastructure
Allan has approximately 20 years’ experience as a buy-side infrastructure investment professional with deep European experience in the sustainable energy and transportation sectors from both transaction origination/execution and post-acquisition management perspectives. An extensive track record developing and leading investment strategies. At Aviva Investors, Allan previously led the infrastructure equity’s thermal power investment strategy where he oversaw the creation of one of the UK’s largest EfW portfolios that spanned a dozen investments through a mix of equity and real estate investments covering conventional combustion, gasification and anaerobic digestion technologies. At Aviva, Allan also established the infrastructure lease strategy and the Energy Centres Fund where he acted as portfolio manager and led development of the equity teams’ European waste strategy. Allan’s experience at Macquarie’s European Infrastructure Fund (MEIF) covered acquisition activities in thetransportation and heating sectors as well as asset manager for the UK largest maritime passenger company. Skilled in Portfolio Construction, Asset Management, Valuation, Financial Modelling, and Investments.
Angela Crawford-Ingle
Non-executive Director
Angela Crawford-Ingle
Non-executive Director
Angela was appointed to the Board on 29 May 2014. Angela is Chair of the Company’s Audit Committee, the Senior Independent Director and additionally sits on the Remuneration, Nomination, Group Board Investment and Risk Committees. Angela is a chartered accountant with extensive audit experience of multinational and listed companies. Angela was a Partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers specialising in financial services for 30 years during which time she led the insurance and investment management division and retired in 2008. In previous roles, Angela served as a Non-Executive Director of Beazley plc and Swinton Group Limited. Angela is a Non-Executive Director and audit chair of Lloyds of London, TP ICAP plc and Openwork Holdings Limited. As a qualified Chartered Accountant, Angela brings substantial industry, and technical financial experience to the Board. Angela contributes scrutiny and oversight to the Board, drawing on her experience of audit and advisory work to multinational and listed companies. Her previous roles as Non-Executive Director of Beazley plc and Swinton Group Limited cement her extensive financial services sector experience. As reflected in her current appointments, Angela has significant experience as a Non- Executive Director and audit committee chair of major financial services institutions. Angela’s audit and industry experience allow her to bring a financial and strategic outlook on diverse subjects in support of the Board and its Committees. Her considerable knowledge and experience continue to be an important contribution to the long-term sustainable success of the Company.
Anna Pugh
Analyst, PVT Equities
Anna Pugh
Analyst, PVT Equities
Anna graduated from the University of Bath with a First-Class Honours degree in Economics in 2012. Prior to joining R&M, Anna worked as a product specialist at Neptune Investment Management undertaking analysis on their equity fund range. Anna joined River and Mercantile in 2018 as an Equity Analyst to work closely on the UK portfolios. In 2021, she was promoted to alternate Portfolio Manager on the UK Income fund. Anna is a CFA charterholder.
Anne-Sophie Eveno
Principal, Infrastructure
Anne-Sophie Eveno
Principal, Infrastructure
Anne-Sophie is an experienced investment professional with 10+ years working in the investment management industry, originating and executing a range of transactions across greenfield and brownfield infrastructure in the solar, energy from waste and anaerobic digestion sectors. Anne-Sophie has advanced financial modelling skills enabling the efficient assessment of opportunities as well as support the ongoing valuation of portfolios.
Arabella Townshend
Head of Institutional Distribution
Arabella Townshend
Head of Institutional Distribution
Arabella is a managing director, and Head of Institutional Distribution, working with her team to provide investment solutions to pension schemes, their consultants and trustees. Arabella joined River and Mercantile in 2010 from Edinburgh University where she gained a degree in Geography.
Charles Benett
Managing Director, PVT Equities
Charles Benett
Managing Director, PVT Equities
Charles graduated from Balliol College, Oxford, with a degree in Philosophy, Psychology and Physiology. He spent five years in the Royal Navy, including active service in the Gulf. After studying for an MBA at Columbia Business School, New York, he worked as a sell-side Equity Research Analyst for Toronto Dominion Securities (USA). Returning to the UK, he worked as a Technical Product Manager at Micromuse, worked on his own technology start-up and studied for an MSc in Computer Science at Imperial College, London. Before joining RAMAM, he worked at Advanced Portfolio Technologies (APT) in software development and risk consulting. Charles joined RAMAM in July 2006. Charles is the Managing Director of the PVT Equity team. Charles is a CFA charter holder.
David Hanratty
Global Head of Distribution
David Hanratty
Global Head of Distribution
David joined R&M in September 2019 having already enjoyed over 30 years' experience in the Financial Services industry. In previous roles David was Managing Director at Pioneer Investments where he had direct responsibility for global distribution across the business. Prior to this he was Sales and Marketing Director at Janus. In his role as Global Head of Distribution, David oversees the distribution teams across the River and Mercantile Group.
Fergus Helliwell
Partner, Infrastructure
Fergus Helliwell
Partner, Infrastructure
Fergus has approximately 9 years’ experience as an infrastructure investment professional with experience working across a number of infrastructure funds investing and managing in social infrastructure as well as renewable energy investments. Fergus’ experience includes: investment strategy development and implementation, origination and postacquisition investment management, fundraising and client engagement etc.
Gary Dowsett
Director of ESG, Global Analyst
Gary Dowsett
Director of ESG, Global Analyst
Gary has most recently worked at THS Partners as a relationship manager, but prior to this he spent a number of years at Willis Towers Watson as a Senior Consultant focusing on manager research. Before joining WTW, Gary worked at Phillips & Drew (now UBS) as a Fund Manager where he was heavily involved in stock selection and analysis. Gary works closely alongside Will and Hugh helping support our global equities strategies.
George Ensor
Portfolio Manager, PVT Equities
George Ensor
Portfolio Manager, PVT Equities
George graduated from Bristol University with an Upper Second Class degree in Chemistry in 2008 before joining Smith & Williamson Investment Management as a graduate trainee where he worked for five years as an analyst and Private Client Investment Manager. George joined R&M in March 2014 and is Portfolio Manager of the ES R&M UK Equity Smaller Companies Fund and the R&M UK Micro Cap Investment Company. George is a CFA charter holder.
Hugh Sergeant
Head of Value & Recovery Strategies, PVT Equities
Hugh Sergeant
Head of Value & Recovery Strategies, PVT Equities
Hugh graduated from the London School of Economics with a degree in Economics. He joined Gartmore in 1987 as a UK equities graduate trainee and moved to Phillips & Drew in 1990, managing UK equities throughout his twelve years there. In March 2000 Hugh was promoted to Head of UK Equities at UBS Global Asset Management and Chairman of the UK Equities Committee. He joined Société Générale Asset Management in 2002 as Head of UK Equities. Hugh was one of the founding members of R&M Asset Management in 2006. Hugh is Head of Value and Recovery strategies within the PVT Equities team and manages the UK Equity High Alpha, UK Recovery, Global Recovery and Global High Alpha strategies.
Ian Berry
Head of Infrastructure
Ian Berry
Head of Infrastructure
Ian has over 25 years’ experience as an infrastructure investment professional, with extensive experience in establishing, investing and managing funds and investing in energy-transition and digital-transition infrastructure. Ian’s experience includes: building and leading infrastructure teams/businesses, defining fund strategy, determining portfolio construction, investment strategy, overseeing origination and post-acquisition investment management and client engagement. Ian’s background is also heavily focused on the infrastructure sector with experience in infrastructure lending, infrastructure M&A advisory, deal execution, financial modelling and valuations and sector research.
James Sym
Portfolio Manager, PVT Equities
James Sym
Portfolio Manager, PVT Equities
James graduated from the University of Cambridge with a degree in Natural Sciences. James joined Cazenove Capital in 2007 as a graduate trainee in Wealth Management before moving to work on the Pan European desk in 2008, initially on the UK desk. In 2012 he launched the Cazenove European Income fund as co-manager and, following the Schroders acquisition of Cazenove in 2013, was appointed manager of a number of continental and pan European equity products ultimately managing over £2bn of client assets as well as forming the specialist European equity team at Schroders. He joined River and Mercantile in June 2020 and is a member of the PVT equity team with responsibility for the European franchise.
Joe Jepson
Director, Consultant Relations
Joe Jepson
Director, Consultant Relations
Joe Jepson is part of the UK Institutional team and is responsible for the investment consultant distribution channel. Joe joined R&M in 2017. Prior to this he worked as an investment consultant for a UK based consultancy and advised UK pension schemes. Joe is a CFA Charterholder and has a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of York.
John Misselbrook
Non-executive Director
John Misselbrook
Non-executive Director
John was appointed to the Board on 16 February 2018. John is the Chair of the Risk Committee and the Group Board Investment Committee. Additionally, he sits on the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees. John has extensive financial services and non-executive experience. John has over 40 years’ experience in financial services and was the Chief Operating Officer of Baring Asset Management Limited for 11 years. John was formerly the Chairman of Aviva Investors. John holds a number of non-executive roles with major financial services institutions. John currently serves as the Chair of Hargreaves Lansdown Fund Managers Limited, Chair of JPMorgan China Growth and Income plc, and as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Risk and Remuneration Committees of Brown Shipley & Co. Limited. John brings significant financial services experience to the Board. He has in-depth expertise in organisational compliance, operations and risk. John’s valuable nonexecutive experience combined with his deep understanding of risk and insight into regulatory matters is crucial to his role as Chair of the Risk Committee. As the Group operates within a highly regulated environment, regulatory experience and understanding of risk management is vital to the sustainability of the long-term success of the Company.
Jonathan Dawson
Group Chairman
Jonathan Dawson
Group Chairman
Jonathan was appointed to the Board on 1 October 2017 as Chairman of the Company and is the Chair of the Nomination Committee. A graduate of the universities of St Andrews and Cambridge, Jonathan started his career in the Ministry of Defence before joining Lazard, the investment bank, where he spent over 20 years. He left Lazard in 2005 and co-founded Penfida Limited, the leading independent corporate finance advisor to pension fund trustees. Jonathan previously served as Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of Next plc. Jonathan has also chaired three pension scheme boards of trustees. Other previous appointments include, Non-Executive Director of Galliford Try plc, National Australia Group Europe Limited and Standard Life Investments (Holdings) Limited. Most recently Jonathan served as Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc. Jonathan currently serves as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of National Grid plc and is the Chairman of Penfida Limited. Jonathan has extensive financial services, pensions and non-executive experience. Jonathan is an experienced leader, having held senior board level positions in several high profile organisations. He previously held the position of Senior Independent Director of Next plc and Jardine Lloyd Thompson group plc. Jonathan brings an innovative perspective and independent oversight to the Board. Jonathan’s breadth of experience, understanding of diverse issues and strong corporate governance expertise allow him to lead an effective Board and are vital to the Company’s long-term sustainable success.
Marcus Honig
Sales Director, London & South East
Marcus Honig
Sales Director, London & South East
Marcus graduated from Glasgow University with an MA (Hons) degree in 2001. Throughout his career in financial services Marcus has worked for companies including Chase de Vere, Scottish Widows and Neptune Investment Management, before joining R&M in June 2017. Marcus holds the CII Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning as well as the Certificate in Discretionary Investment Management. He is an experienced Sales and Distribution professional with strong client relationships across the UK.
Martin Canavan
Sales Director, North England, Scotland, Ireland & Isle of Man
Martin Canavan
Sales Director, North England, Scotland, Ireland & Isle of Man
Martin began his career in asset management sales in 1996 with Deutsche Bank. He has since held roles with AEGON Asset Management and Merian Global Investors (formerly Old Mutual), before joining R&M in August 2020. He is a highly experienced Sales professional with strong relationships across a range of client segments, covering the UK, Isle of Man and Ireland. Martin holds the Investment Management Certificate.
Martin Gilbert
Deputy Group Chairman
Martin Gilbert
Deputy Group Chairman
Martin Gilbert was appointed to the Board on 6 January 2021. Martin co-founded Aberdeen Asset Management in 1983, leading the company for 34 years and overseeing its 2017 merger with Standard Life. He is Chairman of Revolut Limited, Senior Independent Director at Glencore, Chairman of Toscafund and a Non-Executive Director of ASSETCO PLC and Saranac Partners. Until November 2019, he was Chairman of the UK’s Prudential Regulation Authority’s Practitioner Panel and was Deputy Chairman of the board of Sky PLC until 2018. Before this he was the Chairman of FirstGroup. In 2015, he was ranked no. 22 of the Harvard Business Review’s 900 top performing CEOs in the world. Martin holds an LLB from the University of Aberdeen and an MA in accountancy. He qualified as a chartered accountant with Deloitte.
Matt Hudson
Portfolio Manager, PVT Equities
Matt Hudson
Portfolio Manager, PVT Equities
Matt has over 20 years' experience of managing UK equities, with a deep specialist knowledge of equity income strategies. After qualifying as a chartered accountant with Coopers and Lybrand, Matt started his investment career in 2001 as an assistant fund manager at AIB Govett Fund Management. In 2001, he joined Cazenove Fund Management to launch a new fund, the Equity Income Trust for Charities and to develop his investment approach for equity income. In 2005 he launched the Cazenove UK Equity Income Fund which became one of the best performing funds in the income sector, eventually growing to c.£1bn in assets under management and which was twice shortlisted for the IA best UK equity income fund of the year. For over a decade Matt was a key member of the highly successful and award winning Pan European Equities team at Cazenove Capital, combining his portfolio management responsibilities with his analytical work on a range of UK sectors including Banking, Utilities, Chemicals, Mining and the Building & Construction sectors. In 2013, Matt moved, along with the rest of the business cycle team, to Schroders following their take-over of Cazenove. He continued to focus on his key income fund responsibilities and was later appointed as the Head of the Schroders Pan European Business Cycle Team, managing a team of senior Portfolio Managers responsible for client assets of over £5bn in long and long/short strategies. Matt joined R&M in 2022 and is lead portfolio manager of the ES River and Mercantile UK Equity Income Fund.
Mayan Uthayakumar
Head of Research, PVT Equities
Mayan Uthayakumar
Head of Research, PVT Equities
Mayan graduated from the University of Oxford in 2007 with an Upper Second-Class degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. In 2009 he took a Masters in Finance, Money and Banking at the University of St Andrews where he graduated with Distinction. Mayan joined Goldman Sachs in 2010 where he worked as an Associate in the Global Investment Research team working specifically on equity analysis in the small and mid-cap sectors. In 2014 he joined Sanford C. Bernstein where he researched European Utilities. Mayan joined River and Mercantile in November 2015 as an Equity Analyst specialising in analysis on companies in the small and micro-cap sectors of the UK Market. During his time at River and Mercantile, he has been promoted to Director of Research and is responsible for the bottom-up research and alpha generation process. For a period Mayan was also the alternate portfolio manager on the UK Income Fund.
Miriam Greenwood
Non-executive Director
Miriam Greenwood
Non-executive Director
Miriam was appointed to the Board on 28 May 2019. Miriam is Chair of the Company’s Remuneration Committee and additionally sits on the Audit, Group Board Investment, Nomination and Risk Committees. With qualifications as a barrister and in corporate finance, Miriam has spent more than 30 years working for a number of leading investment banks and other financial institutions. A Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, Miriam was awarded an OBE for services to corporate finance in 2000. In previous roles Miriam served as a Non-Executive Director of the UK energy regulator OFGEM, Henderson Global Trust plc, Mithras Investment Trust plc and Telit Communications plc. Miriam was also a founding partner in SPARK Advisory Partners, an independent corporate advisory business. Miriam currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Smart Metering Systems plc, as Non-Executive Director of Eclipse Shipping Limited and of Gulf International Bank (UK) Limited. She is an advisor to Ofgem and the Mayor of London’s Energy Efficiency Fund. Miriam, through her broad range of expertise and experience within the financial services sector, brings significant in-depth understanding of remuneration and financial matters to her role as Chair of the Remuneration Committee. Miriam has relevant and recent experience as a remuneration committee chair, having chaired the Remuneration Committee of Smart Metering Systems plc, where she also served as Senior Independent Director prior to her appointment as Chair of their Board. Miriam has garnered further remuneration committee experience serving on the remuneration Committees of Telit Communications plc and Henderson Global Trust plc. As a Non-Executive Director, Miriam brings scrutiny, constructive challenge and independent oversight to the Board.
Nick Pearse
Sales Director, Midlands, South West & Channel Islands
Nick Pearse
Sales Director, Midlands, South West & Channel Islands
Nick joined R&M in January 2021 from Jupiter, which acquired Merian Global Investors in 2020, where Nick worked for the past decade.
Roger Lewis
Group Head of ESG
Roger Lewis
Group Head of ESG
Roger provides expertise and problem solving around Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters at R&M. Areas of focus are designing and implementing strategy, integrating ESG to investment decisions and ongoing asset management, defining solutions for clients and engagement for ESG. Roger previously worked at Aviva Investors, where responsibilities included aligning ESG strategy and factors with investment functions across its £47.3bn Real Assets platform, which invests in property, infrastructure and private debt. Prior to this, Roger held roles at Legal & General Investment Management and J.P. Morgan. Roger has completed the UN Principles of Responsible Investment programme, holds the CFA UK Diploma in Investment Management (ESG) and has passed Level 1 of the Chartered Financial Analyst programme. Roger is also a passionate advocate for limiting climate change to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
Simon Smith
Head of Wholesale Distribution
Simon Smith
Head of Wholesale Distribution
Simon Smith is Managing Director, and Head of UK Wholesale Distribution, responsible for creating a market leading customer centric distribution business working with wealth managers across the UK for the benefit of investors. Simon has spent a 25 year career working for some of the industry's leading asset managers including M&G, Standard Life Investments and most recently nine years overseeing the growth of Merian UK Wholesale (Old Mutual Global Investors).
Simon Wilson
Group Chief Financial Officer
Simon Wilson
Group Chief Financial Officer
Simon was appointed to the Board as an Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer on 19 May 2020. Simon is a Chartered Accountant and has over 20 years’ experience in asset management and the financial services sector gained in senior financial roles. Prior to joining, Simon spent five years as Group Finance Director for the Topland Group, one of the UK’s largest privately owned investment groups which focuses on real estate, hotels, healthcare and the provision of equity and debt finance. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Deloitte in its financial services assurance department in London and moved to Hawkpoint, the M&A advisory business, where he advised on public and private transactions, capital raises and IPOs in the financial services and mid-market sectors. From Hawkpoint he joined the financial services investment group, Pacific Investments, where he spent twelve years, latterly as Managing Director of Corporate Finance and Chief Operating Officer of fund management. While at Pacific Investments, Simon represented Pacific’s interests in River and Mercantile Asset Management LLP from its formation in 2006 until its merger in 2014 prior to the IPO of the Company. Simon has significant financial experience, having held a number of senior financial roles. This, combined with his asset management experience and previous knowledge of the Group’s asset management business, allows him to bring in-depth expertise on a broad range of relevant areas to the Board. His appointment completes the Group’s refreshed senior management team which is integral to the delivery of the Group Chief Executive’s strategy. Simon’s contribution to the Board and senior management team is key to the long-term sustainable success of the Company.
Sudin Poddar
Portfolio Manager, ILC Equities
Sudin Poddar
Portfolio Manager, ILC Equities
Sudin Poddar, CFA is a Portfolio Manager and Analyst on the Industrial Life Cycle (ILC) Equity team. Prior to joining River and Mercantile Group in June of 2017, Mr. Poddar spent ten years at Credit Suisse helping build and grow a core equities business centered on the Industrial Life Cycle framework. Primary amongst his responsibilities was to manage a Global All Country Small Cap strategy which was incepted in January of 2014. Mr. Poddar holds an MBA in Financial Analysis and a BS in Business with a Major in Finance from Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
Tom De Lisle
Sales Director, London
Tom De Lisle
Sales Director, London
Tom is Sales Director for London within the Wholesale Distribution team. He looks after a wide range of clients including Discretionary Wealth Managers, Multi Managers, Family Offices, Private Banks and Global Financial Institutions. Tom joined R&M in February 2013. He started his career in financial services in 2004 at a London stockbroking firm advising high net worth individuals on US stocks and helped launch the alternative investments division. He then moved to Neptune Investment Management in 2007 as Sales Manager covering the London and Greater London area and also became Head of Family Office Business Development. Tom has a degree in Modern and Medieval French from the University of Oxford, he holds the IMC certificate and is a member of the CFA UK Society.
William Lough
Portfolio Manager, PVT Equities
William Lough
Portfolio Manager, PVT Equities
Will graduated from the University of Oxford with a First-Class Honours Degree in Modern History, before joining R&M as an equity analyst in 2009. In 2013 he was promoted to Director of Research and in 2014 became alternate Portfolio Manager on Hugh Sergeant’s Recovery and High Alpha strategies. Will is currently the lead Portfolio Manager on the UK Dynamic Equity and International High Alpha Strategies and co-manager on the Global High Alpha Strategy. Will is also the alternate on the UK Recovery Strategy.
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