Mr Walesby, who will relocate to Sydney from London, will now be responsible for delivering more choice and greater access to ETFs for Australian investors. Mr Walesby was previously head of capital markets for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Invesco Powershares.
In addition, Mr Walesby brings a wealth of experience in ETFs having previously worked for a number of ETF and asset management firms, including ETF Securities, Deutsche Bank and BlackRock.
ETF Securities Group founder and chairman Graham Tuckwell said: “We are very fortunate to have such an experienced person take on this role and this senior appointment reflects both our commitment to building the business and Kris’ confidence in being able to deliver such in the coming years.”
ANZ entered the ETF market in May this year, listing six ETFS on the ASX.
Mr Walesby’s appointment follows the departure of Danny Laidler, ANZ ETFS co-head and head of distribution, and Adam Smith, ANZ ETFS co-head and chief operating officer. The two executives had played a role in setting up the joint venture and ensuring the first suite of products was successfully launched on the ASX.
Following the initial roll-out of the institution’s ETFs, Mr Laidler and Mr Smith decided to pursue other opportunities, an ANZ statement said.
