VFMC tipped to hire former Aussie fundie as CIO

Victorian Funds Management Corporation is understood to be close to signing a former Australian funds manager for its recently vacated chief investment officer role.

It is understood that Adrian Blundell-Wignall, a former senior funds manager at BT Financial Group, has been negotiating over the role for the past few weeks. It is understood Korn Ferry has been acting as the headhunter for VFMC. Blundell-Wignall was in Australia in the past fortnight on behalf of the OECD, for which he is deputy director of financial and enterprise affairs. Blundell-Wignall has an economist’s background with the Reserve Bank, before joining the private sector with Citigroup Smith Barney and the former BT Funds Management. The VFMC role has been vacant since late last month after Leo De Bever returned to Canada to head up another Government-owned funds management organisation. Meanwhile, VFMC has also recruited State Street Global Advisors’ Melbourne-based business development manager, Malcolm Ashbolt, as client relations manager.