Zurich-headquartered asset management group GAM has appointed Randel Freeman as Co-Head/Co-CIO of its new alternative investments unit – GAM Alternatives. Last year, Freeman was a candidate for CEO but withdrew for personal reasons.

In his new role, Freeman will work closely with Albert Saporta to build out the unit.

Freeman has previously managed alternative investment funds and managed accounts. From 2017 to 2023, he was a member of the investment committee of SSVL Monaco, a Monaco-based activist fund focused on small and mid-cap European companies, while between 2014 and 2016, he was the CIO, Fortress Centaurus Strategies at Fortress Investment Group, where he managed a a global event-driven and long/short fund.

In 2000, Freeman co-founded Centaurus Capital, a multi-billion dollar hedge fund group with AUM at its peak of $5bn, where he served as CEO and CIO until 2014 when the business was sold to Fortress.

Prior to this, Freeman was co-head of the risk arbitrage division at Banque Paribas in London and an associate at Goldman Sachs in New York.