Global fund administration, trust and corporate services provider Vistra has expanded its private equity capabilities with the addition of four new executive leaders. The new team members bolster Vistra’s already impressive expertise and set of services for private equity firms and their portfolio companies.
Vistra is a specialist in fund formation and administration, with over USD300 billion of alternative assets under administration. It counts over 10 of the top 15 private equity managers among its clients.
Scott Kraemer, Vistra’s Managing Director of Alternative Investments in North America, says he is delighted to be in a position to add executive leadership during this challenging time. The company will further strengthen its position by introducing additional private equity services later this year.
“These ongoing efforts show our commitment to providing a single-source solution in the private equity space, including the ability to support a growing need to outsource,” says Kraemer. “According to Vistra Private Equity research, outsourcing is on an upward curve, with an average of 72 percent of general partners outsourcing one or more functions to a third-party service provider.
“Not only do we establish and manage funds through their lifecycles, we provide enormous value and risk mitigation for portfolio companies. We can act as their single source for cross-border payroll, accounting, tax structuring, HR advice, M&A-deal support and more. I believe none of our competitors can match Vistra’s breadth of services, global reach and expertise.”
Vistra’s new senior executives will serve clients in both the global private equity and hedge fund markets. All will work out of either Vistra’s New York or San Francisco offices. Here are their brief bios.
• Anastasia (Kim) Williams, Commercial Sales Director, recently led the private equity practice in North America at the TMF Group. Prior to that, she was a senior member of the sales organization at SS&C. Anastasia will be working with global private equity funds and their portfolio companies to help them operate more efficiently and expand into new markets.
• Maria Scofield, Commercial Sales Relationship Manager, has more than 13 years’ experience in alternative investments, most recently as Client Director at TMF Group. Prior to that she was Director of Relationship Management at SS&C GlobeOp. She will help companies in private equity, real estate and venture capital navigate the new normal.
• Michelle Hopfner, Commercial Sales Director, joins with nearly 20 years’ experience in alternative investments. She has held leadership positions at Citigroup and State Street. She joins Vistra from the TMF Group and will help clients manage and optimise their operations and investments across international markets.
• Tamara Sablic, Commercial Sales Director, was most recently the VP of Business Development at the TMF Group, and previously held senior roles at SS&C and JP Morgan. She will work with clients to provide comprehensive corporate, fiduciary and administrative services across markets.
Ed Novak, Vistra Managing Director, North America, stresses that while Vistra’s new hires are based in the US, they are supported by a highly integrated, collaborative company with offices in 45 jurisdictions.
“Vistra was designed in part to help organisations reduce the risks and uncertainties of global expansion and operations, which is more critical than ever for private equity firms and their portfolio companies,” he says. “While the world seems to be getting a bit flatter these days, that only adds to the complexity of operating across borders. With a large global footprint and robust business continuity plans in place, we’re ideally situated to help our private equity clients and their investments weather this storm and grow in the future.”