Alternative Asset Management

David Royds co-founded Matrix-Securities Limited in 1987. Prior to that he worked at Laing and Cruickshank and the Financial Times. Non executive posts now include three VCTs, as well as several companies involved in property development, shipping and film finance.

Chris joined Matrix in June 2007. Before joining Matrix he was CEO of Whitehead Mann Group Plc, the publicly listed executive recruitment firm, which was taken private by an MBI team in late 2006. Prior to that he was Finance Director of Clifford Chance LLP, the global law firm. Chris began his career with Coopers & Lybrand where he became a partner in the audit practice in 1994. He spent 2 years in New York in the late 1980s and was based in China from 1994 to 1997 as Managing Partner of Coopers & Lybrand’s Shanghai office.

Paul Spence, who joined Matrix in November 2005, has had a 20-year career within financial services. Initially at BZW, Paul spent time in Japan rebuilding the trading business, returning to the UK in 1997 as head of global macro. At Barclays Capital he formed an internal equity hedge fund for which he ran the global macro strategy. Paul left Barclays in 1999, and joined Abingdon Capital plc to set up Mountcashel LLP and launched the Mountcashel Fund in May 2004.

David joined Matrix in June 2006 to manage the Matrix New Europe Fund. His investment management career began in 1982 and he spent 17 years at Henderson Global Investors where he was a Director and Head of UK Institutional Equities. He is an Associate of the Society of Investment Professionals.

Hubert joined Matrix in July 2007 to manage the Matrix Europe Fund. He joined Merrill Lynch from Oxford University in 1998 becoming co-manager of the Merrill Lynch UK Equity Hedge Fund as well as lead manager of around US$ 1 bn in pension fund assets. Most recently Hubert was a founder member of Park Town Asset Management. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder.

Rupert joined Matrix in February 2008 to run the Matrix Asia Fund. He joined Mercury Asset Management, latterly Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, from university in 1994, and left in 2001 to found FM Capital Management, where he managed a Japanese-equity long/short fund for six years.

Tom joined Matrix Alternative Asset Management in November 2005. After qualifying as a chartered accountant, Tom gained his financial experience at Card Clear plc as Group Corporate Finance Manager, at Berkeley Jackson and then as Group Financial Controller at Abingdon Capital plc. Most recently Tom played a key role in establishing Mountcashel LLP in 2003 where he managed the FSA's application process as COO and Compliance Officer, as well as being heavily involved in the launch of the Mountcashel Fund in May 2004, serving as a board director.

Damian joined Matrix in September 2007. He started his career as a fund analyst but the last eight years have been spent as an equity trader. He spent three years at ING Barings as a proprietary trader on a risk-arbitrage and equity long/short book and three years setting-up and managing the Mountcashel Fund (a European equity long/short hedge fund) with Paul Spence. His most recent experience was as head of the options trading desk at Pali International.

Paul joined in January 2008 from Shooter Fund Management where he ran their Operations, managing a variety of roles. Paul started in the City in 1984 in International Banking and moved through many mergers and takeovers. Most recently he spent over 7 years with Robert Fleming, and then JP Morgan, in their Middle Office covering global equities, credit and fixed income.