An experienced Suncorp Investment Management BDM has taken a new role heading up Nicholas Applegate Capital Management’s Australian presence.

John Hamer, most recently business development manager for Suncorp Investment Management, is to become senior vice president, client service and sales, for Nicholas Applegate, based in Sydney from May 26. Nicholas Applegate, which has a small Australian client base including BUSS(Q), has retained a Melbourne client service presence, with Melanie Douglas, for the past several years but has had no salesperson since Jack Diamond left to join several boards and set up his own consultancy for firms including Industry Funds Management, Hyperion and Great Southern. Hamer said yesterday that the manager had reaffirmed its commitment to Australia with the new position. Nicholas Applegate had an impressive suite of international equities strategies, including a global 130:30 fund, he said. The head of institutional business for the Suncorp and Tyndall investment management brands, Justin Cowper, said a search had begun to replace Hamer. The San Diego-based Nicholas Applegate is part of the Allianz Global Investors Group, which includes the big fixed interest specialist PIMCO. Prior to Suncorp, where he had been for nearly five years, Hamer had similar positions with Challenger International, BNP Paribas and the former BT Funds Management.