Kames Capital appoints Peter Ball as director of its institutional business

London – Kames Capital has appointed Peter Ball as director of institutional business and also as head of business development at its parent Aegon Asset Management.
 
Ball, who will report to Kames chief executive Martin Davis, initially began working with Kames in March last year as a consultant, advising the business on strategic opportunities in the institutional market before becoming its head of institutional business on an interim basis. He has now decided to join the business full time.
 
In his new dual role, which he starts with immediate effect, Ball will continue to lead the Kames institutional team as it looks to further build its business through its absolute return, equity, ethical, fixed income, multi-asset and property capabilities, whilst looking to maximise business opportunities for the Aegon Asset Management group globally, as it continues to develop its businesses in Asia, Europe and North America.
 
Ball has 26 years’ experience in the institutional market having previously been on the Board of JLT Employee Benefits, where he was responsible for the investment management and investment consulting businesses. Before that he led the successful UK institutional business at JP Morgan Asset Management for 10 years.
 
Kames Capital has recently made a significant breakthrough in the UK pension fund market.  It added 23 new mandates in 2014, for a range of its products and services including property and absolute return strategies for a range of new clients including West Midlands Pension Fund, Kent County Council, Kensington & Chelsea Borough Council and Molins UK Pension Fund among others.
 
Kames Capital was named UK Property Manager of the Year, Absolute Return Bond Strategy Manager of the Year and Sub-Investment Grade Manager of the Year at the Professional Pensions Investment Awards 2014. It was also European Asset Manager of the Year at the 2014 Global Investor Awards for Investment Excellence.*
 
Kames Capital manages £8.8 billion in segregated and pooled portfolios on behalf of institutional clients.**
 
Davis says: “We were very impressed with Peter’s impact upon the business whilst performing the role on an interim (and part time) basis and therefore decided to take the next step of appointing him full time. I am delighted that we will be able to carry on benefiting from his considerable knowledge and experience as we seek to maintain the strong momentum he has helped us established in the institutional market.”