Bell tolls for Stewart, in a good way

Having parted ways with its external distribution partner, Bell Asset Management is ramping-up its strategy to augment its internal capabilities, having hired former Allianz Retire+ wealth distribution lead, Andrew Stewart, in a newly created role of head of retail sales.

Bell Asset Management has identified its high-conviction global small and mid-cap companies (global SMID caps) strategy as a particular growth driver in its global equities platform, and it’s getting serious about telling that story to the advice market. In fact, the firm says it is “laser-focused” on this task, and that will be one of Andrew Stewart’s prime roles.

Stewart will be responsible for scaling-up the firm’s adviser service model and boosting its relationships with clients and adviser partners. He comes with a full CV that spans almost three decades of experience in financial services sales, across areas such as managed funds, platforms, alternative investment, and stockbroking. He has held senior positions at Allianz Retire+, most recently, as well as AUSIEX, Commonwealth Bank, Colonial First State, Asgard and IOOF (now Insignia Financial).

Michael Lovett, CEO of Bell Asset Management, says Stewart brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in retail distribution and adviser engagement to the new role.

“Andrew is a highly respected figure in the industry, with a long track record of building strong adviser relationships,” he says. “His appointment is a strategic move that supports our goal of delivering a best-in-class adviser experience, and reflects our long-term commitment to the adviser market.”

Stewart will report to Robert Sullivan, managing director, distribution and strategy, and work alongside Xanthe Virtue, head of wholesale and platforms.

Bell Asset Management has expanded its personnel significantly of late, having lured Andrew Gowen from Lombard Odier in the UK in March, to take up a role as portfolio manager and director of research, and before that, in January, bringing Lucinda Hill across from Paradice Investment Management to work as its executive general manager, product and operations.

Those appointments follow Bell’s internal promotions of senior global equities analyst Matt Saddington and senior investment strategist Andrew Sleeman to portfolio managers. The portfolio management team is transitioning to a model in which each strategy is managed by existing portfolio managers Ned Bell and Joel Connell, alongside a dedicated third co-portfolio manager.

Saddington joined Bell in 2018 as senior global equities analyst. Prior to joining the firm, he worked in Australia in roles including portfolio manager at Millinium Capital Managers, and partner/portfolio manager at Global Value Investors, where he co-helmed the portfolio from inception, and spearheaded the company’s push into ESG, becoming an early signatory of UNPRI.  Overseas roles included senior investment analyst at Scottish Widows (UK); vice-president and equity analyst at The Boston Company Asset Management (USA), and EAFE equity analyst at Fiera Capital (Sceptre Investment Counsel, Canada).

Sleeman has more than 35 years of experience in the investment industry, researching and managing global, international, and sector-specific strategies across equity and debt markets. He worked as portfolio manager at Franklin Mutual Advisers for over a decade, managing the Franklin Mutual International Fund (2008-2020), and the Franklin Mutual Financial Services Fund (2009-2020), as well as leading the Global Financial Services team and the Asia-Pacific research expansion.