ACOLIN announces management succession plans alongside exciting strategic growth
7th April 2021
Acolin is delighted to announce the appointment of Theo Splinter as new CEO
ACOLIN, a leading provider of regulatory and cross-border fund distribution services across Europe, is delighted to announce the appointment of the Group’s new Chief Executive Officer, Theo Splinter, who will succeed founder Daniel Haefele as he moves to a Non-Executive position and continues to oversee strategic business development opportunities.
Theo has taken up the role after leaving the international trust, fund and corporate services platform Intertrust, where he spent two years as the Group’s COO, having previously been COO of BNP Paribas Securities Services in Luxembourg. With a career spanning 24 years, Theo brings extensive experience of working in international financial services businesses helping them to develop, implement and oversee strategic growth plans in support of their asset management client base.
We are also delighted to announce the appointment of the Group’s new Chief Financial Officer, Matt Appleton, who will join Theo and the Group Executive Board in leading the organisation. Matt has worked in the European private equity industry for 17 years, most recently as a partner at DH Private Equity Partners (Doughty Hanson) where he was responsible for investments in Business & Financial Services across Western Europe, with a particular focus on the DACH region.
The appointments of Theo and Matt come at an exciting time for ACOLIN as the business executes on a growth strategy to better serve its 600 asset management clients with a suite of services across the international fund distribution value chain; in June 2020, ACOLIN completed a management buy-out supported by Sovereign Capital Partners, the UK private equity Buy and Build specialist. A first follow-on acquisition has already been completed this year, Fundbase, with a second to be announced imminently.
Theo said: “I’m thrilled to join ACOLIN at such an exciting time. Daniel has left a fantastic legacy, both in terms of the company’s unique customer proposition and its client base. I am very excited to take on the challenge of driving future growth, further developing our client service whilst building on the company’s history and heritage as an innovative market leader.
“Building on our recent acquisitions we plan to continue to invest in and develop the ACOLIN team with an ongoing focus on developing and launching new technologies to efficiently meet the complex needs of our global asset management client base.”
Mike Covell, Chairman of ACOLIN, commented: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to Daniel and pay tribute to his significant achievements as founder and CEO. Daniel was the visionary and driving force behind ACOLIN’s unique Distribution Network-Management proposition and has been influential in our international expansion strategy which has substantially raised the profile of the business, helping us to diversify across a wide spectrum of client and fund types, geographies and distribution channels.
“We are delighted to have secured someone of Theo’s calibre to succeed Daniel and the addition of Matt further strengthens the management team, with the Group well positioned to continue its growth plans to become the leading provider of fund distribution services across Europe.”
Daniel said: “It has been a privilege to lead ACOLIN as the Company has gone from strength to strength, delivering against our strategic ambitions. In my non-executive role, I will be able to focus fully on strategic business development opportunities. In this ever-changing market-place, progressive thinking will be key to taking the company to the next stage of growth. I look forward to seeing further strategic acquisitions that will enhance our range of services and expand our geographic footprint.”
“Since I established the business fifteen years ago, the cross-border fund distribution regulatory landscape has become increasingly complex and has continued to evolve. With Sovereign’s continued investment and support we look forward to the opportunities ahead.”