Fund governance firm DMS Governance has expanded its US business with the appointment of William H Woolverton, former senior managing director and general counsel at Gottex Fund Management, in its New York office.

Woolverton (pictured), who will serve as managing director – US and head of US legal, has experience working on fund governance and administration issues with a particular emphasis on managing legal and compliance issues for a wide variety of public and private investment funds. 
 
He has also worked with boards of directors and CEOs of investment management firms on governance best practices and day to day corporate governance issues.  
 
At Gottex, he was responsible for managing fund administration and governance of all onshore and offshore funds and oversaw the management of external legal relationships. 
 
Prior to this he spent over 15 years at Putnam Investments where he managed a staff of more than 100 legal and compliance professionals and before that he was a senior lawyer at Alliance Capital Management Corporation. During his career in the investment management industry he led the development of both regulated and alternative asset investment products, and managed acquisitions and strategic investments.
 
"Bill's strong legal and investment funds background makes him the perfect fit for DMS where he will be a key leadership addition to the New York team. We are delighted to welcome him to our firm," says Anne Storie, DMS chief executive officer.
 
Woolverton will have the capacity to serve as an independent director on the boards of investment funds and related structures providing guidance and independent oversight to ensure adherence to governance and compliance requirements. His field of expertise means that he will provide thought leadership to the investment funds industry through DMS roundtables, seminars and industry conferences.