Brevan Howard, a high-profile global macro hedge fund manager founded by Alan Howard, has strengthened its global business development team with a quartet of appointments in the US, Europe and Asia, with hires from well-known hedge fund firms including Exodus Point Capital Management and Bluecrest.

Natalie Smith has joined in New York as head of strategy, with an investor-focused mandate within directional and relative value macro investing. Smith joins from Commonwealth Asset Management.

Peter Hornick, who was previously at Exodus Point Capital Management and Millennium Management, has been named head of business development for Brevan Howard Alpha Strategies (US) in New York.  Hornick is tasked with building the portfolio management team for this strategy in North America.

David Abbou has joined in the firm’s Geneva office as head of trading for Brevan Howard Alpha Strategies (Europe). Abbou, who was formerly with Bluecrest Capital Management, will manage and develop the firm’s European portfolio management team across a range of strategies.

Jonathan Candy, formerly with Graticule Asset Management and Bluecrest Capital Management, joins as co-CEO of the local business unit in Singapore, focusing on both client service and portfolio managers across Asia.

Established in 2002, Brevan Howard today manages some USD10 billion firm in investor assets across six offices globally.

The firm’s main Brevan Howard Master Fund is understood to be up some 24.5 per cent year-to-date, following a 0.88 per cent August return. According to recent media reports, the firm is preparing for renewed surges in volatility and market dislocations in the months ahead, having successfully traded on market turbulence earlier in 2020.

CEO Aron Landy said this expansion of Brevan Howard’s business development effort demonstrates the firm’s commitment to “best in class investment opportunities” and an “outstanding client experience.”