People Moves: AXA IM departures, Barings rehires, Jefferies gains from Nomura

Three quit AXA IM US credit team, Burstow returns to Barings after four years, Jefferies hires two UK equities managers from Nomura.

AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM)

Three members of the US credit team at the asset management arm of insurance giant AXA have quit their roles, including the firm’s former head of that division Hannah Strasser.

Strasser, who oversaw both investment grade and high yield debt within its US credit investments, “has decided to pursue other opportunities outside of AXA IM”, according to a statement from the firm.

Anne Yobage and Thomas Kelleher also chose to resign on the same day, the firm said. Both of them were responsible for US high yield debt.

Strasser’s replacement has already been announced by AXA IM. James Gledhill will join the firm on 27 June 2011, five days after the departures of Strasser, Yobage and Kelleher.

Gledhill, who will become global head of high yield and deputy head of credit, moves from Henderson Global Investors based in London. There he was responsible for a range of bond funds, following Henderson’s acquisition of New Star Asset Management where he headed up fixed income.

Beforehand, he worked at insurer Aviva for a year managing life and pension mandates. Between 1992 and 2001, he worked in different fund management roles at M&G and Prudential M&G.

In his new role Gledhill will report to Theodora Zemek, global head of AXA fixed income and to Graham Nicol, who heads the credit division.

Baring Asset Management (Barings)

Barings has managed to attract back one of its former mining and resources investment specialists Clive Burstow, after he left four years ago to work for Alliance Bernstein and most recently Blackrock.

Burstow was an analyst at Barings for three years between 2004 and 2007. He moved there after nine years with the Mining Journal and Metal Bulletin Research, where he developed his knowledge of resources.

In his most recent role at Blackrock, Burstow was responsible for analysis and investment across the mining sector.

His return to Barings will herald a new role as director at the firm and investment manager for resources, producing research, stock ideas and assisting with management of the Barings Global Resources Fund. He reports to Jonathan Blake, head of global energy and materials.