Ex Jarden operatives Dane Fitzgibbon, Mark Himpoo, Simon Hudson launch asset manager

Dane Fitzgibbon, former Jarden director and ex co head of Equity Capital Markets for UBS is setting up a new super fund manager. Picture: Renee Nowytarger

Former Jarden Australia director Dane Fitzgibbon has launched a new asset management operation with ex Jarden and UniSuper operatives, including former Jarden chief commercial officer Mark Himpoo and Simon Hudson.

Play Fair Asset Management will be run by Mr Fitzgibbon, while Mr Himpoo and Mr Hudson will be chief investment officers.

Stephen Ross, head of Portfolio Construction and Risk, also worked at Jarden as a director after working at Macquarie Wealth as Head of Asset Allocation.

Mr Fitgibbon, a top equity capital markets operative who previously worked at investment bank UBS, left Jarden in April after stepping down as a director in November.

Mr Himpoo and Mr Hudson left some weeks later after he and Mr Hudson started Jarden’s Superannuation Advisory Group.

Mr Himpoo previously was top Australian stock picker for one of the country’s most powerful superannuation funds UniSuper.

He was was senior manager of equities at UniSuper, overseeing the $4bn Australian equities portfolio, after working as Head of Fundamental Equities at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and Blackrock.

Simon Hudson previously worked as head of equities at UniSuper for over 12 years, with responsibility for the fund’s domestic and international fundamental strategies, including both internally and externally managed portfolios totalling over $60bn of assets.

Before working at UniSuper, he was head of Australian equities at QIC.

Play Fair Asset Management describes itself on its newly launched website that it is “an asset manager singularly focused on supporting Australian Super Funds”.

The executives are targeting the Australian superannuation fund industry at a time it is worth $3.5bn.

The new venture analyses super fund objectives and develops tailored solutions, manages external portfolios, along with offering hybrid model services, where it provides internal portfolio advice with external mandates.

Mr Fitzgibbon spent 13 years at UBS in Australia and Asia in various roles, including co-head of capital markets, working closely with investors and corporates to deliver transactions across the capital spectrum from equity through to debt.

After working at UBS, he held senior executive role at the Australian Agricultural Company, overseeing strategy for the company.

He joined Jarden in 2020 as a co-founder of the Australian business as part of the New Zealand investment bank’s launch across the Tasman.

The news comes as Robbie Vanderzeil, the former chief executive of Jarden Australia, who later moved into the role of chairman after helping to launch the Australian business, made an exit from Jarden this week.