Alternative asset management group Gottex has announced the appointment of a chief investment officer, along with a number of executive management changes that are intended to strengthen the firm’s leadership structure.

Richard Leibovitch has been named chief investment officer. In this newly created position, Mr Leibovitch will have responsibility for all Gottex investment products, along with retaining responsibility as co-portfolio manager of the Market Neutral Funds. Mr Leibovitch continues as a member of the firm’s executive management committee and head of the firm’s North American business.

James Singh, who joined Gottex from Lehman Brothers earlier this year, has been named a member of the firm’s executive management committee, responsible for Gottex’s Asian business and head of its Hong Kong office. He will also assume responsibility as portfolio manager of the Gottex Tiger Fund. 

In addition, Andre Keijsers has been named a member of the firm’s executive management committee, with primary responsibility for corporate strategy and corporate communications. 

Gottex also said that having spent three years in Asia, Peter Bennett, senior investment partner and member of the executive management committee, is to retire at the end of the first quarter of 2009 for personal reasons. Mr Bennett has been the key driver of the development of the Asian business, Gottex said, and will work closely with Mr Singh over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.

Joachim Gottschalk, chief executive of Gottex, said: “We are very pleased with the appointment of Richard as chief investment officer which will ensure our continued focus on investment performance within Gottex.

“In addition, I personally and all my colleagues at Gottex would like to thank Peter for his extensive contribution to Gottex over the years and wish him the very best. Finally, we believe that both Jim Singh and Andre Keijsers are strong additions to our executive team and will be key contributors to the future success of our company.”

Gottex provides investment management services to a diversified range of hedge funds and funds of hedge funds, invested with over 165 hedge fund managers around the world.  Incorporated in Guernsey, Gottex has offices in Lausanne, Zurich, London, Hong Kong, New York, Boston and Luxembourg. 

At 30 September the group’s assets under management stood at $13.5 billion.