Assistant Portfolio Manager

Aprirose scores £134.5m social housing refinancing package. Real estate investment firm Aprirose has secured a £134.5m debt facility with Legal & General's (L&G's) private credit platform to refinance a social housing portfolio. The five-year facility will refinance a portfolio comprising 840 social housing units across Bristol, Crawley and East Grinstead, which Aprirose acquired in 2021. The financing was completed on behalf of both external clients and L&G's Institutional Retirement business. Gareth Taylor, head of debt capital markets at Aprirose, said: "We are very pleased to continue to support much-needed social housing in the UK. We are equally pleased to be working with a new lender in L&G, and the process with the team throughout was very sleek and professional." Patrick Sweeney, director at L&G real estate debt investments, added: "We are continuing to deliver on our promise to invest in, develop and help facilitate through debt financing the provision of social and affordable housing in the UK. "The portfolio is well managed and has an excellent financial track record. We look forward to building on our new relationship with Aprirose and helping assist in their ambitions with the portfolio over the next five years." Earlier this summer, Aprirose Real Estate Investment appointed Refresh, Watkin Jones Group's asset enhancement platform, to upgrade and refurbish its Reading student accommodation asset.

Bloomberg promotes internally for EMEA buy-side fixed income electronic trading sales head. Individual steps into role after 12 years in several sales-based positions at the firm; has previously worked at MUFG and JP Morgan. Caroline Francillette has stepped up as EMEA head of buy-side fixed income electronic trading sales at Bloomberg, marking an extension of her ongoing 12-year tenure at the firm. London-based Francillette initially joined Bloomberg in 2014, and during her time at the firm has worked across various sales-related roles, most recently as a regional sales manager for France, BeLux, Geneva and Monaco. Prior to this, she spent more than three years at Japanese bank MUFG, where she worked in a position covering credit sales. Earlier in her career, Francillette spent four years at JP Morgan. Bloomberg had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication. Most recently, Bloomberg named Arif Merali as the firm's new global head of rates electronic trading. The appointment followed a five-year stint at the Bank of England, where Merali served as a senior advisor, providing technical advice and policy support to the bank's executive director of markets, as well as the wider markets directorate. The TRADE > Leaders in Trading New York 2026 > Leaders in Trading New York 2026: Buy-Side Awards nominations now open! Leaders in Trading New York 2026: Buy-Side Awards nominations now open! Voting is now open! Industry participants are invited to nominate their winners - whether that be yourself or your peers - for Leaders in Trading New York 2026; vote closes 15 September 2026. The TRADE is delighted to officially open nominations for its Leaders in Trading New York 2026 Buy-Side Awards. Its North American iteration of its Leaders in Trading awards gala is back for its third year. The awards will once again recognise the outstanding achievements of individual traders and desks over the past 12 months across six categories: Trader of the Year (long-only and hedge fund), Trading Desk of the Year, Fixed Income Trading Desk of the Year, plus more. The night will also celebrate five Rising Stars of Trading and Execution North America, recognising up-and coming talent on the buy-side. Click here more information about the 2026 event. Voting is now open, and industry participants are invited to nominate their winners - whether that be yourself or your peers - with the vote closing on 15 September 2026. The winners across each of the six categories will be decided upon by an editorial panel and will be announced at The TRADE's Leaders in Trading New York 2026 gala awards night, held at Chelsea Piers on 19 November 2026. Read more - The TRADE announces Leaders in Trading New York 2025 award winners Last year's Trader of the Year award went to Michael Roberts of Columbia Threadneedle - Long Only, and Trader of the Year - Hedge Fund respectively. Elsewhere within the buy-side category, Legal & General Investment Management took home the award for Trading Desk of the Year, while BlackRock was awarded Fixed Income Trading Desk of the Year. Susan Joyce from AllianceBernstein was also recognised for Buy-Side Market Structure Expert of the Year. For your chance to have a say in this year's winners, nominate here. Should you wish to attend the awards, please contact Daljit Sokhi: [email protected] or Serena Franklin: [email protected] to book a table for the dinner. If you are a member of the buy-side community and would like information on attending Leaders in Trading New York as a guest of The TRADE please contact Karen Delahoy: [email protected].

The Morning Briefing: Chesnara reports 38% boost in AuA after HSBC Life acquisition. Good morning and welcome to your Morning Briefing for Tuesday 25 August 2026. To get this in your inbox every morning click here. Chesnara reports 38% boost in AuA after HSBC Life acquisition Chesnara has today (25 August) published its results for the six months ended 30 June 2026, revealing a 38% increase in group assets under administration (AuA) to £21bn. Operating capital generation (OCG) has risen by 79% to £96m (HY 2025: £54m) and its cash remittances were up 31% to £73m (HY 2025: £56m). Chesnara reported a solvency coverage ratio of 185% (FY 2025: 257%) reflecting the completion of its £260m HSBC Life (UK) acquisition in January 2026. Industry campaign reconnects customers with £2.5bn in forgotten financial products More than £2.5bn in lost and forgotten pensions, investments, savings and protection policies has been reconnected with customers by firms involved in Gretel's 'Billions 4 Millions' initiative. The campaign, which launched in January 2026 with an initial full-year target of £1bn, has now increased its ambition to £5bn by the end of the year. It is supported by Aviva, Standard Life, Foresters Financial and J.P. Morgan, with additional firms joining throughout the year. Quilter: How probate trusts reduce delays when families need certainty Estate planning is often viewed through the lens of inheritance tax (IHT), but that can miss a practical problem families face after death: how quickly assets of the estate can be made available. Its recent analysis of Ministry of Justice data revealed the number of probate cases taking between 21 and 23 months to be granted has risen by 131% since 2020/21, writes Tom Archer, tax and trusts specialist at Quilter. When pensions are brought into the scope of IHT from April 2027, executors may also have more valuations, reporting and administration to deal with. In short, more potential delays. Quote Of The Day Responsibility for compliance should reflect the activities each regulated firm carries out and the permissions it holds - Mark Rendle, advised managing director at AJ Bell, on FCA proposals to introduce new due diligence rules and a new regime for pension scheme money & assets (PSMA) Stat Attack AI is playing an increasingly influential role in the decisions young adults make, with almost half of Gen Z having changed their mind about a decision after consulting the technology, according to new research from Aegon. Key statistics: of Boomers trust AI completely or somewhat and use it. of Gen Z would feel comfortable discussing financial worries with AI. of Gen Z trust AI and use the technology. of Gen Z say AI has changed their mind about a decision. of Boomers would feel comfortable discussing their finances with AI. Legal & General (L&G) has appointed Rachel Cutts as head of origination and execution within its institutional retirement business. She has been with the provider for nine years, playing a key role in the growth of its PRT business. Cutts most recently served as chief of staff to institutional retirement CEO Gareth Mee, and prior to this as execution director where she worked closely with trustees, advisers and EBCs across the market. This appointment reflects L&G's continued focus on helping pension schemes secure their members' benefits for the long term, while providing trustees, sponsors and advisers with support and expertise. Former FCA and EY regulatory leader Alex Roy is set to launch a new financial services regulatory practice on 1 September 2026. Roy has joined Passmore & Oliver Partners, the specialist regulatory strategy consultancy founded by former Solicitors Regulation Authority senior figures Crispin Passmore and Juliet Oliver, to establish and grow the new business. The firm will offer SM&CR implementation and ongoing accountability, governance reviews and board effectiveness, regulatory review support and Consumer Duty and disclosure compliance, among other services. From Elsewhere LSEG investors restless for AI wins as share price rout drags on (FN London) Bitcoin rises above $80,000 as soft dollar, debasement fears boost momentum (Reuters) US grain farmers face worst crisis in decades as Iran war sends costs spiralling (Financial Times) Did You See? St James's Place (SJP) partner firms that want to either expand or sell their business have an option to do this internally through the group's Business Sale & Purchase (BSP) proposition. Up to 300 BSPs are completed each year, with a total annual transaction value of around £200m, writes Amanda Newman Smith in its latest At the Helm feature. Given that SJP facilitates loans for SJP partners that are buying another SJP business, there are concerns about how much influence the group has in things such as valuations through BSPs.