Lombard Odier Investment Managers is switching a team of emerging markets debt specialists to London from Geneva in October, in a process that began in August this year.

In addition, the emerging markets debt team will see the appointment of senior portfolio manager Michal Wozniak, who formerly co-managed an emerging market debt portfolio at JP Morgan Asset Management in London in a team responsible for $14 billion, Lombard Odier Investment Managers said in a statement.

As part of the adjustment, Stéphane Monier will remain based in Geneva and be supported from London by Ian Clarke, deputy chief investment officer for the unit, who joined in June 2011 after working as head of fixed income at Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

Michal Wozniak, working with co-fund manager Guilherme Maciel De Barros, will take over management of the LOF Emerging Local Currencies and Bond Fund, and the LOF Emerging Market Bond Fund. They will be supported by Laurent Moulin, LOIM’s fixed income economist. Richard Walsh, who was also involved in managing these funds since joining the firm last year, is leaving the company. 

“Adding to our expertise in London is a continuation of our strategy to have centres of fixed income excellence in Geneva and London,” Stéphane Monier, chief investment officer for fixed income and currencies at LOIM, said in the statement.

“Having both the emerging market debt and European Credit teams in London creates many synergies and brings us even closer to markets and clients there,” Monier said.

Lombard Odier Investment Managers manages more than SFr35 billion (around $38.7 billion) on behalf of clients, of which more than SFr13 billion is in fixed income strategies.