Tullett Prebon, an inter-dealer broker, has launched a primary placement business for alternatives to raise capital for hedge funds, private equity and other alternative investment funds.

Tullett Prebon’s alternative investment desk began over a year ago to place secondary interests in alternative funds on behalf of institutional investors.

The team aims to leverage its buy-side experience coupled with its reach in the global institutional investor market to attract blue chip clients.

The alternative investment team, headed by Neil Campbell, a former fund of funds manager, has hired Gahtan Vahidy to drive its origination efforts.

Vahidy and Campbell previously worked together at the Axiom Alternative Fund, a boutique fund of fund operations focused on natural resources strategies.

Vahidy, a former strategy consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers, also has over five years experience as a buy side analyst for the hedge fund sector, most recently at Erste Bank, dealing with a broad range of investors and hedge funds on a daily basis.

Campbell says: “Following a very active first year of trading we are now very excited about broadening our business and leveraging our network further to support funds in their asset-raising activities. We are also delighted to welcome Gahtan to the team whose expertise will be invaluable in building up these capabilities.”