Schroders Capital, the private markets business of Schroders, announces the appointment of Sophie Florentin-Siu as Business Development Director UK, as part of the expansion of its team of private markets specialists. In this new role, Sophie will aim to focus on Schroders Capital’s Private Debt and Credit Alternatives offering in the UK. Her appointment reflects investor demand for diversified private markets strategies across institutional and wealth channels – with private debt and credit alternatives “growing in prominence as a source of return opportunities and portfolio income.”
Schroders Capital’s PDCA business, co-led by Michelle Russell-Dowe and Stephan Ruoff, oversees around $38bn in assets under management. With more than 100 investment professionals, it focuses “on specialisms including real estate debt, infrastructure debt, asset-based finance and insurance-linked securities (ILS).”
Prior to joining Schroders Capital, Sophie led the business development efforts across PIMCO’s UK Institutional accounts.
Sophie also worked in PIMCO’s Wealth division where she “focused on winning new fund allocations for sub-advised mandates.”
This senior appointment is the latest in a series of hires across regions and asset classes as Schroders Capital continues to “build out its team of private markets sales specialists globally.”
Sophie will report to Ingo Heinen, Global Head of Business Development at Schroders Capital, and Philip Middleton, Head of UK Client Group at Schroders.
Ingo Heinen, Global Head of Business Development at Schroders Capital, said that they are now pleased to add to their “growing bench of private markets sales specialists.”
Heinen added that Sophie’s proven expertise in business development and strong relationships across the market will “be instrumental as they expand access to our leading private debt and credit capabilities for UK investors.”
They also noted that their position as part of the Schroders Group has been key to growth: combining the client relationships from across Schroders’ sales teams with “the specialist capabilities and track record of Schroders Capital.”
Philip Middleton, Head of UK Client Group, Schroders, said that with investors looking to explore sources of thematic income, they are turning to the opportunities in private debt and credit alternatives – “from infrastructure debt to securitised products and asset-based finance.”
This appointment underscores commitment to the UK market and focus on solving the needs of clients.
As covered, Schroders Capital provides investors with access to a range of private market investment opportunities, portfolio building blocks and various private market strategies.
Its team focuses on delivering risk-adjusted returns and executing investments through a combination of direct investment capabilities and broader solutions in “all private market asset classes, through comingled funds and customised private market mandates.”
The team aims to achieve returns via a rigorous approach and in alignment with a culture characterised by “performance, collaboration and integrity.”
With $111 billion AuM, Schroders Capital reportedly offers a range of investment strategies, such as real estate, private equity, secondaries, venture capital, infrastructure, securitised products and asset-based finance, private debt, insurance-linked securities and BlueOrchard (Impact Specialists).