ANZ ETFs heads depart after five months

ANZ ETFS Management will replace its two most senior staffers announcing that co-heads Danny Laidler and Adam Smith would be leaving the business after five months, to be replaced by a new external appointment.

Laidler, who held the role of co-head and head of distribution, and Smith, who held the role of co-head and chief operating officer, were reported to be leaving to pursue other opportunities following the conclusion of the initial roll-out period of the joint venture company.

ANZ ETFS was formally launched in May this year when ANZ Bank teamed with London based exchange traded product provider ETF Securities to create the ETF provider. At that time Laidler was ETF Securities, head of Australia and New Zealand while Smith was ANZ Global Markets, director of business execution.

Both will be replaced by Kris Walesby from 10 October, who will relocate to Sydney from London where he is currently head of capital markets for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Invesco Powershares.

ANZ ETFS said Walesby has also worked for a number of other ETF providers and asset management firms including ETF Securities, Deutsche Bank, and BlackRock.

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ETF Securities Group, chair, Graham Tuckwell, said the appointment of Walesby reflected the joint venture's commitment to building the business further with ANZ.

At present ANZ ETFs has six products available — three based on S&P Dow Jones Indices, two based on the US dollar and Renminbi, and one based on gold.