Independent fund and corporate service provider Crestbridge has appointed Elliot Refson as a director in its Jersey office as it continues to focus on evolving its management company (ManCo) solutions.
A specialist in alternative funds, Refson will join the existing team to develop and promote Crestbridge’s onshore and offshore ManCo services to the global asset management community.
Last year, Crestbridge became one of the first firms in Jersey to be granted a licence by the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC) to offer a ManCo platform. It was also one of the first to establish a third party ManCo in Luxembourg covering both UCITS and AIFMD funds four years ago.
Bringing with him 20 years of experience within the hedge fund sector, as both an investor and fund manager, Refson’s most recent role was as a business development director representing Jersey’s funds industry at Jersey Finance, the body for promoting Jersey’s financial services industry globally.
Prior to working at Jersey Finance, Refson held senior roles at Ermitage in Jersey where he both managed a global macro hedge fund and invested in other funds and Bloomberg in London and New York, where he developed their charting package and a number of specialist analytics for the hedge fund sector. He is currently the chairman of the Jersey Hedge Fund Managers Group, and has completed a number of projects for the Alternative Investment Managers Association (AIMA).
Refson says: “More and more alternative fund managers in the UK and US are looking for a practical solution as they face a number of growing issues, including increased time to market, growing costs, regulatory burdens and other barriers to entry. Increasingly, the straight-forward and now familiar ManCo platform fits the bill. In addition, we believe that the impending Brexit will also boost the demand for ManCo services in Jersey and Luxembourg, right across the hedge, private equity and real estate fund asset classes.”
Daniela Klasen-Martin, managing director, Crestbridge Management Company SA Luxembourg, adds: “I’m delighted that Elliot has joined the Crestbridge team, particularly at such a significant time for alternative investment fund managers. Crestbridge prides itself on being at the cutting edge of solutions for alternative fund managers and he is a natural choice to promote these services, through his excellent network of global contacts and first-rate knowledge of the global regulatory landscape. His expertise gives further impetus to the growth of our ManCo business.”
