Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI) has appointed Sree Kochugovindan as its new senior research economist and Robert Gilhooly as senior emerging markets research economist.
Kochugovindan joins from Barclays Investment Bank where she worked in the asset allocation and global economics teams, while Gilhooly moves from the Bank of England where he was senior economist covering Asia.
They will work in the ASI Research Institute with a team of economists and researchers analysing macroeconomic and policy trends to guide investment managers’ portfolio decisions. They will also lead projects to analysing the drivers of global consumption trends or demographics to establish their long-term impact on markets.
Kochugovindan taught economics at the University of London before beginning her career in finance 19 years ago in the FX Strategy team at State Street. In her 17-year spell at Barclays, she held various positions in the asset allocation and global economics teams before focusing on the UK and Brexit over the last year.
She said: “This role is a great opportunity for me to draw on my deep knowledge and experience in global economics, working together with ASI’s geographic and sector specialists. I’m particularly looking forward to leading on and supporting others in thematic research programmes and special analytical projects, ensuring my input into the Research Institute helps drive the strategy of the team and the wider growth of the business.”
Gilhooly was an economist at the Office for National Statistics for six years, where he worked on big data analytics. He then spent 10 years at the Bank of England where he covered Asia with a primary focus on China macroeconomics, reporting to the Monetary Policy Committee.
He said: “I’m delighted to join the ASI Research Institute as working in asset management is an exciting new avenue for me. I’m looking forward to supporting the economics and research team with its strategic priorities across emerging markets, as well as monitoring wider global themes, such as trade. As part of my role I’ll provide timely commentary to our key stakeholders and help to drive forward our understanding of emerging markets and the global economy.”
The ASI Research Institute was set up in May 2018 to gather and deliver macro research, including economics, policy, politics and behavioural insights, to investment teams.
Jeremy Lawson, head of the ASI Research Institute, added: “Both Sree and Robert bring a wealth of broader analytical and research expertise to the Research Institute from their previous roles at Barclays Investment Bank and the Bank of England, respectively. Their knowledge will be invaluable to us as we work to provide analysis and research that helps clients navigate changes in the macro and market environment. They are both great assets to join the team and will help us elevate ASI’s client footprint and meet the growing demand for our services.”
