The latest moves in wealth management across North America.

Barings
Barings, the financial services firm, has appointed a former advisor to the Obama administration, Dr Christopher Smart, to lead its team examining how economic and political events affect financial markets. He will hold the title of head of macroeconomic and geopolitical research.

Dr Smart spent six years as a senior policy maker for international economic affairs in the Obama administration. From 2013 to 2015, he was the special assistant to the president at the National Economic Council and the National Security Council, where he was a principal advisor to President Obama on trade, investment and a wide range of global economic issues. He also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Treasury from 2009 to 2013, where he led the administration's response to the European financial crisis and designed US engagement on financial policy across Europe, Russia and Central Asia.

Prior to his government service, Dr Smart worked as the Director of International Investments at Pioneer Investments where he managed Emerging Markets and International portfolios.  In the early 1990s, he was also advisor to the Russian government on issues of macroeconomic reform.  

Most recently, he has conducted economic policy research at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; the Harvard Kennedy School's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government; and the Royal Institute of International Affairs, or Chatham House, a London-based think tank.

Calamos Wealth Management
Illinois-based Calamos Wealth Management has appointed Nancy Velez as client associate of its South Florida office. 

Velez is a wealth advisory client specialist with experience serving international clients, particularly in South America. 

She has more than 17 years of industry experience, which includes roles as a client advisor associate at Boston Private Wealth, and relationship manager and assistant vice president at BNP Paribas.

Rockefeller Capital Management
Rockefeller Capital Management, an independent financial services firm, has appointed Laura Esposito as head of institutional distribution for Rockefeller Asset Management.

In this newly-established position, Esposito will lead the services of Rockefeller Asset Management, which include global and small-cap equity, ESG and fixed income strategies to institutional investors, including pensions, sovereign wealth funds, and foundations and endowments as well as institutional consultants and financial intermediaries. 

Esposito will report to chief investment officer, David Harris, and will be based in New York City.

She was most recently a senior vice president and co-head of global sales and marketing for TT International, a UK-based investment manager.

The firm has hired a number of people in the last few months as it looks to expand its operation in the US.