West Palm Beach (HedgeCo.net) – FSA regulated specialist asset management firm, Silk Invest Ltd, has hired John Bates, former Head of Credit Research Africa at investment bank Renaissance Capital, to spearhead its move into Frontier Fixed Income, an emergent hedge fund asset class.

“We will offer a liquid Frontier Market Fixed Income product, " Zin Bekkali, CEO of Silk Invest, said "Although largely focused on Sovereigns, there will be a corporate element that will represent up to 20% of the portfolio.”

Daniel Broby, Chief Investment Officer says he is “delighted John is coming on board, having seen the quality of his work whilst we were together at Renaissance. He is truly one of the few people who not only know the universe inside out but he is also of the few able to capitalise on that knowledge to obtain equity like returns in the frontier fixed income space.”

Prior to his work at the Renaissance Capital hedge fund, he was senior Emerging Market Credit Analyst at ABN Amro in London and West LB. John has a ‘BA Hons’ from University College London.

“John is yet another high level hire that is in line with our policy of recruiting the best skillset in African and Arab markets,” Dr Heinz Hockmann, the Chairman of Silk Invest, said.

Alex Akesson