Hedge Fund Man Group Hires New Middle East CEO

The CEO of Man Group, Peter Clarke, announced the appointment of the new CEO of the Middle East arm as Patrick Merville, to take effect from 1 October, following the retirement of Antoine Massad.

Man, a global leader in alternative investments, was the first hedge fund provider to open a local office in the Middle East 22 years ago. Under the leadership of Massad, Man has broken new ground and today enjoys clear leadership in the region.

Merville joined Man three years ago as deputy regional CEO and head of institutional business. He succeeds Antoine Massad who has decided to retire after nearly 20 years' service with Man to pursue private interests.

Mr Clarke said the appointment was testament to Man's ability to attract the best talent in the industry.

"Patrick takes the reins of the leading alternative investment firm in the Middle East at a time when sophisticated private and institutional investors are, increasingly, seeking an alternative to the traditional investment classes," he said.

"For Patrick, this is as a step up in his long career in alternatives. Patrick's continuing goal will drive the business to new levels of success in the region on the back of Man's range of innovative products and the region's growing role in the global economy."

Before joining Man, Mr Merville was a director at Merrill Lynch in London, where he spent six years, first as an institutional salesperson in emerging market equities and then in the hedge fund prime brokerage sales group. An experienced banker with exposure to hedge funds and alternative investments throughout his career he has also held roles at HSBC in New York as vice-president in institutional sales, emerging market equities, and at Credit Agricole where he was an associate in the private equity business.

Merville holds a BA in Economics from the American University of Beirut and an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School.

Wall Street Jounal Columnist Speaks at Hedge Fund Summit

Wall Street Journal columnist Gregory Zuckerman and Ely Razin, senior director of strategy, Westlaw Business, will deliver a luncheon presentation on "State of the Hedge Funds for 2008" at a upcoming Hedge Fund General Counsel Summit, according to Incisive Media, publisher of Corporate Counsel magazine.

The event will take place September 25, 2008 at The Sheraton Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut. Targeted to general counsel and deputy counsel in the hedge fund industry, the one-day conference will present insights into the current state of the industry in today's uncertain times.

Zuckerman writes the "Heard on the Street" column for the Wall Street Journal and authored two recent articles on hedge funds: "Shakeout Roils Hedge Fund World" and "Hedge Funds Are Caught in a Tight Spot." He recently won the NY Press Club Journalism award, and was nominated for a 2008 Gerald Loeb award for coverage of the mortgage meltdown. Zuckerman is a frequent commentator for CNBC on hedge funds and stocks.

Additional industry experts and practitioners who will be speaking at the conference include, Tia Breakley, vice president, The Blackstone Group LP, David Brooks, managing director & deputy GC, Fortress Investment Group LLC, and Simon Lorne, vice chairman and chief legal officer, Millennium Management LLC.

Corporate Counsel's Hedge Fund General Counsel Summit is part of Incisive Media Conferences & Trade Shows, a producer of educational and networking events for business leaders and professionals.