TEAM

Founder, Chief Investment Officer & Head of Relative Value

James has 25 years of investment experience in global equity markets. Prior to launching the fund, James established and led the Asia equities business for BlueCrest Capital Management, responsible for all investment and non-investment personnel in Hong Kong. Before BlueCrest, James was Managing Director and Head of Asia Equities Risk Trading at Barclays Capital. Prior to moving to Asia, James held a number of senior investment and trading roles in New York, including Global Head of Basket Trading and Arbitrage at Bear Stearns and Co-Head of US Delta One Trading at JP Morgan, following the merger of the two firms.

Partner & Head of Arbitrage

Choot has over 20 years of index, portfolio trading, and derivatives experience in Asia. Prior to joining Ovata Capital, Choot was a Managing Director, Head of Asian Index Strategies at RBC from 2008 until early 2017, holding the same role at Bear Stearns from 2006 until mid-2008, as well as equity derivatives trades roles at ABN Amro, Goldman Sachs, and KGI in Hong Kong.

Partner, Head of Event & Head of Europe

Rodrigo has over 20 years of investment experience. Rod was the Head of Event-Driven strategies in Europe for BlueCrest from 2013 until early 2020. Before BlueCrest, Rod was a Managing Director, European Head of Developed Cash Trading at Credit Suisse and Executive Director at JP Morgan, where he was responsible for Market-Neutral and Risk Arbitrage Strategies

Partner & Head of Global Tactical Opportunities 

Abhinav started his 15 years of industry experience in a European Fixed Income Trader role at Bank of America in London, followed by a move to Equities in Asia with JP Morgan where he helped build the Global Thematic Trading book. He moved to the buyside in 2014 with Segantii as a Relative Value trader, and prior to joining Ovata was a portfolio manager at Maven Investment Partners Limited.

Partner & Chief Operating Officer

Nicholas is responsible for all non-investment activities of the firm. Nicholas has over 30 years of industry experience, the last 20+ years in Asia. Nicholas chairs the firm’s Operating Committee and is the firm’s Chief Compliance Officer. Nicholas has held Asian COO roles at funds (Three Stones, an Asian-based multi-strategy fund; Citadel) and investment banks (Natixis, Barclays - Equities, Credit Suisse - Equities, and Schroders Japan). Whilst at Credit Suisse, Nicholas was the Global Head of the Centres of Excellence initiative.

Chief Risk Officer

Prior to joining Ovata, Eric was the Chief Risk Officer for Myriad Asset Management and, before this, Asia Equities Head of Regional Market Risk at Barclays Capital. Eric also has served as the Asia Ex-Japan Head of Fixed Income, Credit and Commodities Market Risk Management for Barclays Capital and, before moving to Asia, worked in London at Barclays Capital risk-managing FX options and at Deutsche Bank risk-managing bond options. Eric began his career in the commodities middle office of Elf Trading (now Total SA).