Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management has appointed Simon Mendelson to the newly-created role of managing director and head of product management and development in the Americas.

Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management has appointed Simon Mendelson to the newly-created role of managing director and head of product management and development in the Americas.

Based in New York, Mendelson reports to Jerry Miller, head of Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management, Americas.

Mendelson will oversee the development, implementation and positioning of DeAWM’s investment products and solutions in the Americas.

“He will play a key role in aligning DeAWM’s investment and distribution channels, not only to develop and deliver new products, but also to manage and optimize existing product capabilities,” the firm said.

Mendelson has around two decades of leadership and operating experience, having spent nine years at BlackRock and 14 years at McKinsey & Co. He was most recently global head of product development at BlackRock, which he joined in 2005. From 1990 to 2005, he was a senior partner in the financial institutions practice at McKinsey & Co, where he focused on insurance, brokerage and asset management.

In December 2013, DeAWM made two senior private equity hires to support the growth of its alternatives business in the Americas and globally.

Joshua Glaser was named director and global head of private equity for the global client group, while Brian Chiappinelli joined as director and North American product specialist for private equity.

Chiappinelli is based in Boston, MA, and reports to Glaser. Meanwhile, Glaser – based in New York - reports to Pascal Botteron, global head of alternative investments for the global client group.

DeAWM has $1.28 trillion of assets under management, as of December 31, 2013.