People moves and key promotions in securitisation

This week’s roundup of securitisation job swaps sees WTW appointing a head of alternative credit insurance, financial solutions, from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC). Elsewhere, Gowling WLG has lured a Toronto-based industry veteran as partner to head up its new structured finance and securitisation group, while Barings has hired an md and global head of fund and asset level finance from Commonwealth Bank.

WTW has appointed Claudia Rost as head of alternative credit insurance, financial solutions, based in its New York office. Rost leaves her role as head of portfolio management in SMBC’s Americas division after seven years with the business and previously spent 25 years at Commerzbank AG. 

In her new role, Rost will be responsible for originating and structuring credit insurance deals for alternative credit lenders; developing the underwriting market for structured finance solutions; and supporting broking teams and clients on transactions including SRTs, CLOs and other portfolio financings. She will report to global head of financial solutions Evan Freely. 

Meanwhile, Gowling WLG has launched a new structured finance and securitisation group and hired Jason Kroft as a Toronto-based partner to head up the division. The firm's new division will support a broad range of Canadian and international clients with structured, financial and derivatives products from development stage through to offering.

Kroft joins Gowling WLG from Miller Thomson, leaving his role as partner and co-leader for structured finance and securitisation after two years with the business. He previously spent 25 years at Stikeman Elliott and left his position as partner in 2022.

Barings has appointed Commonwealth Bank’s Robert Cammilleri as md and global head of fund and asset level finance, based in its New York office. Cammilleri has more than 20 years of experience working across structured finance, fund finance and broader credit. 

The new recruit leaves his role as executive director and head of institutional coverage for North America at Commonwealth Bank after six years with the business. He previously worked at National Australia Bank and Fitch Ratings. Cammilleri will report to Mike Henderlong, global head of Barings’ capital markets and strategic relationship management group.

Linklaters has promoted Christian Storck to global head of capital markets based in its Frankfurt office, replacing Hong-Kong-based partner Hwang Hwa Sim. Storck, who is a partner and joined the firm 21 years ago, is promoted from head of finance for Germany. He specialises in debt capital markets, derivatives and structured finance. Hwang Hwa Sim is stepping down to focus full time on his practice in the Asia region, the firm said.

Securis Investment Partners has appointed Judy Klugman as an independent non-executive director. She spent 24 years with Swiss Re, most recently as global head of ILS distribution and sales, prior to departing the firm in June 2023. Her career at Swiss Re spanned a range of senior ILS and capital markets-focused positions, including md of capital markets and co-head of ILS.

Newmark has hired Capital One Multifamily’s Evan Williams as vice chair, head of affordable housing debt and structured finance, as it looks to expand its presence in the multifamily capital markets space. Based in New York, Williams leaves his role in the affordable housing loan origination team at Capital One after seven years with the business, having previously worked at Prudential Mortgage Capital Company and Centerline Capital Group. He focuses on the origination of affordable multifamily housing loans and government-sponsored enterprise business, with particular expertise in Fannie Mae multifamily affordable housing.

Hunton Andrews Kurth has promoted Jennifer E Wuebker to counsel. Based in Richmond, Virginia, Wuebker advises on corporate restructuring, asset based-lending, safe harboured financial contracts, asset securitisations and other capital markets transactions. She joined the firm in 2019 and previously worked at Whiteford Taylor & Preston, the United States Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of Texas, and WealthForge.

And finally, Convergence has hired Francesco Kalaydjian Serraino as a quantitative analyst, based in London. He brings expertise in machine learning and data science, honed through internships at Capital Systems, Amazon and ArmBionics.

Kenny Wastell, Corinne Smith