Fidelity latest fund to bolster derivatives knowledge
Recruiters say fund management groups are increasingly interested in hearing from fund managers with derivatives know-how. The latest to enter the derivatives fray is Fidelity International.
This week, Fidelity announced the recruitment of Stephen Fulford, one-time head of equity derivative sales at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, as head of derivatives for European funds.
Fulford tells eFinancialCareers.com that additional hires are a probability, but it remains early days. "There's a likelihood that we will hire," he says. "But right now, we're assessing our objectives and looking at how to fill the gaps." Where possible, he says filling the gaps may mean re-educating existing staff in the use of derivatives rather than adding new ones.
Samantha Donald, head of the asset management practice at recruiter Shepherd Little, says if Fidelity does decide to hire, it won't be the only one on the lookout for derivatives knowledge.
"We're being asked for people who know about derivatives on a daily basis," Donald says. "Funds today need people who are technically much stronger than in the past - they need to understand how these complex products are structured."
