Associate – Private Markets and Alternatives Operations

Hong Kong conglomerate seeks $1.5 billion in damages from Panama for takeover of canal ports. August 20, 2026 HONG KONG - Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison said Thursday it was seeking more than $1.5 billion in damages from Panama after the country seized two canal ports caught in the crosshairs of US-China tensions. CK Hutchison said in the statement that it had begun new arbitration proceedings against Panama and alleged that the Central American country had breached an investment protection treaty through "sovereign acts that targeted a decades-old ports concession" in a "state attack campaign" on the company's assets in the Central American country. Panama's government in February seized the Balboa and Cristobal ports, located on each end of the Panama Canal, after its Supreme Court that a concession held by CK Hutchison's subsidiary to run the two ports was unconstitutional. The two ports at each end of the Panama Canal became part of US-China tensions since Donald Trump's return to the White House last year after he alleged China of "running" the canal. The Panama Canal is managed and owned by Panama. But CK Hutchison's subsidiary Panama Ports Company had run the two ports on the canal from 1997 and had renewed its concession for 25 years in 2021. Beijing and Hong Kong had hit back at Panama over its takeover of the ports. CK Hutchison, controlled by the family of Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka-shing, last year announced an initial $23 billion deal to sell its global ports business, including the two Panama ports, to a consortium involving U.S. investment firm BlackRock. But the deal had made little progress under geopolitical tensions and legal challenges among China, the U.S. and Panama. In March, Panama Ports Company had separately sought at least $2 billion in compensation from Panama over its takeover of the ports which it said was unlawful under international arbitration proceedings. CK Hutchison said the actions were making progress. CK Hutchison added that Thursday's new proceedings were focused on its treaty rights, which were distinct from Panama Ports Company's contract rights in the earlier arbitration proceedings. In April, the subsidiary also launched arbitration proceedings against Danish shipping and logistics group Maersk after it took over some of its port operations in Panama. Maersk said at the time that it did not believe it was liable for the claims.

Greycourt LLC announces Mike meehan as Chief Investment Officer. PITTSBURGH-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Greycourt LLC, a leading investment advisor to ultra-high net worth families and family offices, is pleased to announce that Michael J. Meehan, CFA has joined the firm as Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer. Mike brings deep experience and expertise working collaboratively with sophisticated investors across public and private markets. He will serve as the firm's public-facing voice on investment strategy and markets, working closely with Greycourt's Manager Research team and Chief Investment Strategist, Mark Thomas, to shape the firm's investment ideas and implementation methodology. He will partner directly with current and future clients on portfolio design, asset allocation, and customized problem-solving. Mike joins Greycourt from Nuveen, where he was Senior Portfolio Strategist in the firm's well-regarded Portfolio Strategy and Solutions team. In this role, Mike led day-one development of the firm's after-tax asset allocation systems focused on high-net worth clients and co-founded Nuveen's Private Market Institute focused on education and consulting in private equity, credit, and real estate. Prior to Nuveen, Mike was a Portfolio Strategist at BlackRock, where he served family offices and RIAs, developing sophisticated allocation tools and multi-asset class frameworks for clients, with a particular focus on alternatives. Earlier in his career, he was a member of the investment strategy team at Hirtle, Callaghan & Co., a large outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) firm. Mike graduated magna cum laude from Fairfield University with dual degrees in Economics and German, is a CFA charterholder, and is a member of the CFA Societies of New York and Philadelphia. Mike was a 2008 Fulbright Scholar, studying economics at the German Institute for Economic Research in Berlin. Matt Litwin, CEO of Greycourt, said, "Bringing on investment professionals of Mike's caliber ensures that our clients continue to benefit from deep expertise and thoughtful portfolio construction as markets evolve. Along with our other recent additions to the senior team, Mike is a symbol of our commitment to reinvest for our clients' benefit by being net importers of talent." Greycourt simultaneously announces the promotion of Mark Thomas to Chief Investment Strategist. In his expanded role, Mark will focus on furthering Greycourt's forecasts for long-term asset class returns, enhancing the sophistication of the firm's portfolio return and risk modeling tools, and collaborating with Mike and the firm's advisors to translate the firm's research and manager due diligence into practical investment strategies appropriate for ultra-high net worth clients. About Greycourt Founded in 1988, Greycourt LLC is one of the premier independent investment advisory firms in the United States, serving ultra-high net worth families, family offices, and select institutions from offices in Pittsburgh, Portland, Nashville, and San Antonio. With a deeply analytical and principled approach, Greycourt delivers customized portfolio design, robust manager research, and hands-on operational support, prioritizing transparency, collaboration, and alignment of interests. For more information, visit www.greycourt.com or contact [email protected].

Kestra hires BlackRock distribution exec to lead wealth management. by AdvisorHub Staff August 19, 2026 Kelly Apple, who joined Kestra from BlackRock. Kestra Financial, an independent broker-dealer and RIA based in Austin, Texas, has hired a BlackRock sales executive to be head of wealth management, according to an announcement on Wednesday. Kelly Apple joined Kestra on July 9, according to registration records. She reports to and fills a role left vacant by John Amore, who was promoted to president in April 2025. Her role will oversee advisors at both Kestra Financial and its breakaway advisor channel Kestra Private Wealth Services. At BlackRock, where she had worked for 13 years, Apple had been head of national accounts and oversaw its "largest distribution partnerships," according to the announcement. She spent the first eight years of her career at DWS Investments and Invesco predecessor Van Kampen Investments. After searching for Amore's replacement for more than a year, "Apple emerged as the clear choice given her extensive leadership experience, strategic perspective, and track record of building strong partnerships across the wealth management ecosystem," according to the announcement. Kestra, which doesn't break out assets for its various business segments, was overseeing approximately $169 billion in client assets at the end of 2025 and has more than 1,400 advisors, according to its website. It also operates an RIA aggregator called Bluespring Wealth. Kestra is owned by Kestra Holdings, which was spun out of insurer NFP in 2016. It is majority-owned by Stone Point Capital and backed by a minority investment from Oak Hill Capital. Weinand Financial has joined Wealth Enhancement in Washington state with more than $600 million in AUM. Aug 19, 2026 Aug 18, 2026 Aug 17, 2026 Aug 12, 2026