Private Equity News & Analysis

Investcorp hires fundraising chief

The Bahrain-headquartered investment firm has hired former Morley Fund managing director and Morgan Stanley executive James Tanner as its placement chief, a role previously filled by retiring Investcorp veteran Zahid Zakiuddin.

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James Tanner has joined publicly listed investment firm Investcorp as head of placement and relationship management. He will oversee all fundraising across the firm’s private equity, real estate, venture, growth capital and hedge fund platforms.

James Tanner

Tanner has spent the last three years as a managing director in the distribution and alternatives division of UK fund manager Aviva Investors, formerly Morley Fund Management, and sat on its executive committee. He was previously a managing director in HSBC’s global markets division, which followed 19 years at Morgan Stanley. At Morgan Stanley his roles included chief executive of the bank’s European investment management division and head of the Asia Pacific unit’s international private client group.

He will be replacing Zahid Zakiuddin, who has held the chief fundraising role at the firm since 2004. Aside from a four-year leave of absence attributed to personal reasons on his Investcorp biography, Zakiuddin has been with Investcorp since 1987 and with the placement division since 1995. A Canadian national, Zakiuddin, is retiring to Canada, a spokeswoman said.

Based in Bahrain, Tanner will oversee Investcorp’s three Gulf heads: Mazin Al Khatib, regional head of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; Khalid Al Rumaihi, head of the institutional team; and Tim Mattar, head of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.

Nemir Kirdar, Investcorp chairman and chief executive, in a statement alluded to Tanner’s outstanding record and commitment to team work and long-lasting relationships.

“At a time of unsettled market conditions, we are looking long-term: Our ongoing investment in our fundraising and placement capabilities is fundamental for Investcorp, and Jim will play an important part in that process,” he said.

Last fiscal year, Investcorp said its placement and relationship management team raised $4.7 billion. In January, the firm’s Investcorp Technology Partners closed its latest fund with $500 million in total committed capital, surpassing a $400 million target.