Introducing The Octavius Recruitment Team
Natalie Basiratpour
“If you have to really push hard to convince a candidate to take a job. You haven’t found the right candidate.”
‘‘Always a pleasure working with Natalie although I sometimes wonder if she is working too hard!
Octavius is our recruiter of choice and the only one through which we have sourced multiple candidates. Candidates proposed are invariably well suited to the role and it is obvious that thought has been taken before showing them to me….something that is not always the case with other firms I have used in the past.
No particular improvements I can suggest but when we require another hire we will undoubtedly be keen to use your services again.’’
Chief Investment Officer / Hedge Fund
Bio:
Natalie has been in the industry for over 15 years, in that time she has developed a reputation as an industry expert for hires across the research and investment space, partnering with firms globally on Buy & Sell Side Research, Economics, Hedge Fund and Asset Management recruiting.
Natalie is a Law Graduate from Kent University, she is also is a diehard Liverpool fan, petrol head and furry animal lover. She once hung up her party stilettos in favour of clean eating and gym life and now combines the two.
Natalie has worked on many high profile projects including:
Developing Asset Management investment teams - Long only & Long short Equity and Credit
Establishing and improving Quantitative platforms
Movement of funds into new markets/strategies
Research/Portfolio Management positions with Fundamental (Equity and Credit), Macro & Quantitative Hedge Funds
Senior hires across Economics and Strategy both Buy and Sell Side
Research, production and design of indices and areas linked with this space
Natalie has also acted as an industry speaker and panel expert for improving diversity and inclusion within the investment and quantitative arena.
Some of her recent 2023/24 placements include:
Chief UK Economist – Sell side
Systematic Equity Futures Portfolio manager – Hedge fund
Consumer L/S Equity Analyst – Market Neutral Hedge Fund
Senior/Head of ESG and sustainability – Emerging Markets Hedge Fund
US Economist- Sell Side Firm
Head of Equity Quant Research (Quantamental) – Hedge Fund
Chemicals L/S Equity Analyst – Market Neutral Hedge Fund
Long Short Equity PM – Global Cyclicals – Market Neutral Hedge Fund
Systematic Futures Portfolio manager – Commodities
Emerging Market Global Macro Strategist – Hedge Fund
Economic Research Director – Buy side
Energy Transition analyst – Long only equity fund
Emerging Market EquityPM – Long only Asset Management
Quant Researcher – Trading analytics – Hedge Fund
Head of Equity Portfolio Management
ESG and Stewardship analyst – Asset Management
Sam Payne
"Response time with Sam was great as he contacted me when I needed to be updated and unlike other recruiters did not bombard me with daily phone calls. Sam always provided feedback from what the interview said. These included good points and any the interviewer may have noticed. Sam demonstrated great market knowledge about asset management and the finance industry.
For someone not from this background, this was very beneficial and helpful in my preparation for the interviews. The process with Octavius Finance was very smooth and calm. Everything was handled in a very professional manner and there was a lot of support given throughout the process. The matching between my skills and the job requirements was very good. Sam, clearly saw my strengths and weaknesses and was able to match the role really well. The whole process was seamless and smooth."
Bio:
Sam is a consultant within our Quant Research and Data Science team. Sam joined Octavius having established and proven himself as a specialist within the permanent Data Science market working with a number of top Banks and Hedge funds on Data Engineering, Analytics, and Science positions.
Sam also shares his Birthday with David Beckham and likes to play football on the weekends but that is where the similarity ends with Sam staying true to his roots and remaining an avid West Ham fan.
Sam's 2023/24 Mandates:
Data Scientist – Quant Research Team -Market Making firm
Data Engineer – Front Office Data Science/Fund Management team – Equites – Asset Manager
Data Analyst - Front Office Data Science/Fund Management team – Equities - Asset Manager
Quantitative Researcher – Equities Asset Manager
Head of Quant – Equities – Hedge Fund
C# Developer – Front Office Tech Team – Equities – Hedge Fund
Cash Equities Trader – Hedge Fund & Investment Bank
Sales Trader – Investment Bank
Power Analyst – Consultancy Start-Up
Areas of specialism:
Data – Data Analytics, Data Science & Data Engineering
Quantitative Research & Analytics
Trading
Software Development
Arti Kashyap-Aynsley
“Prioritising the Health & Wellbeing of your people, isn't a cost to productivity, it is an investment that provides infinite returns.”
Arti is an award winning Wellbeing Leader that is recognised globally as a thought leader and catalyst in the Workplace Wellbeing and Inclusion sphere's. In this context she continues to be sought after as an industry speaker and a panel expert. Some of the most recent and upcoming conferences she has / will be participating in include - The Reward and Benefits Association Conference, MAD World Summit, Wellbeing @ Work Event Series. She has also delivered keynote presentations across a multitude of professional services firms.
Bio:
Arti Kashyap-Aynsley started her career by qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, whilst also embarking on a 15 year journey in the Professional Services Sector.
She has worked between all of audit, tax and advisory services, spending the largest chunk of her time in the world of Management Consulting, where she focused on large scale Finance Transformation programmes that had her looking at strategy, learning and development, stakeholder and change management, technology implementations, process improvement, executive coaching and other things alike.
Working and travelling the globe opened Arti's eyes up to the impacts of what our working lives can have on our overall wellbeing, along with the truth behind not being able to easily compartmentalise the lives we live between home and work.
With the experience she gained in her career, she decided to pivot a few years ago into the world of wellbeing, where she first worked with Deloitte in Consulting in the UK, to design, develop and deliver on a comprehensive wellbeing strategy that was linked to the overall business focus.
By being able to create positive shifts and change in the business, Arti was inspired to continue to grow in this area and is now leading the Ocado Group Globally from a wellbeing standpoint.
Outside of her day to day working life Arti continues to emulate a life committed to the wellbeing agenda as she is also a qualified executive & life coach and personal trainer, as well as an Advisor to organisations such as Mind and HR Grapevine on topics surrounding the Responsible Business Agenda.
Jennifer Fetta
“No Risk, No Story”
‘’Jen was very professional and knowledgeable throughout the whole recruiting process when I made a trade. She kept everything in superb confidence and was available at any given moment to advise me through the interview process and negotiating. ‘’
-Metals and Mining Analyst/global asset manager
Bio:
Jennifer (Jen) joined Octavius in 2023 having 13 years experience within retained search. She joined the firm to spearhead the retained arm within the asset and alternative industries. Prior to Octavius, Jen held senior positions within high end search boutiques providing research, industry analysis and placing senior financial professionals across equities, fixed income and credit.
Jen spent the first 10 years of her career within sell side research providing comprehensive analysis to the buy side on healthcare and technology before taking her unique skill set and joining the search world.
She is lucky to live bi-continental, living in London and New York and is a firm believer of living each day to the fullest and is a health and wellness fanatic. When she isn't helping clients obtain the best talent, she is increasing her wine collection with her husband and running after her two young boys in any given city.
Jen earned her BA from American University and has held her Series 7 and 65 licenses.
Jen's 2023/24 Mandates:
Healthcare Equity PM for global long only fund
Technology Equity PM for global long only fund
MLP Equity Analyst for long only fund
CFO for global long only fund
Head of Mid-West Private Credit Sales for $35bn asset management fund
Head of Product Solutions Private Credit for $32bn asset management fund
CLO Analyst for $5bn alternative fund
COO for global long only fund
Head of Investor Relations for $35bn fund
Claire Cochrane
Bio:
Claire has worked with Octavius since its inception in 2015 and was an integral part of the founding team.
Having taken a step back in order to look after her Children, Claire has now returned to the fold in a permanent role as our Client Development Manager.
Claire brings with her over 20 years’ experience in sales and client relations both within the public and private sector and will be charged with enhancing our client experience.
We’re very pleased to have Claire back on board in this capacity.
Katie Curtis
“The harder you work, the luckier you get”
"Katie was extremely helpful. My experience dealing with Katie was very pleasant and positive, helping me to remain patient and motivated throughout the two months interview process."
Bio:
Katie has been with Octavius for over 5 years, during that time her role has focussed on a range of different political advisory clients in the private and multilateral arena. She has worked on different roles within the political advisory space including; policy advisors, ESG analysts, legal advisors, and communications experts.
Katie is our resident Maria Von Trapp, a mum of 3 and fanatical horse rider. When she’s not on Pony Club duties she is training for a White Collar Boxing event for The Lily Foundation which is a charity set up by her sister-in-law in memory of Katie’s niece Lily.
Katie's 2023/24 Mandates:
Senior Policy Analyst with one of our key private sector clients
Senior US Policy Analyst with one of our Multilateral clients
Communications Advisor Political Risk
International Law Advisor
Head of Research Climate Change ESG
Areas of specialism:
Mid-senior level appointments primarily within:
Political Risk
Antitrust & Competition
Country Assessments
Economic Impact, forecasting, and other modelling
Financial Institution Regulation & Governance
Public Affairs & Government Relations
Public Policy Advisory
Regulatory & Policy Reform
Strategic Planning
Capital Markets
Transactional and country due diligence
Counter-terrorism
Security intelligence
Security consultancy
Corporate development
Will Best
"From my initial contact with Octavius, Will’s response time was very fast and he was very friendly. I had a quick reminder to update my cv and LinkedIn account with my previous self-employment role which was useful. Will demonstrated in depth market knowledge and he provided an overall great service. I would highly recommend Octavius Renewables.” Candidate
Bio:
Will has been with the team since 2021 and has developed an extensive background in the renewables space and has focussed his experience in roles across development and construction mandates. Will has previously spent 2 years in sales within the renewable energy sector working for various utilities in the North of England before making the move to London to continue in the renewable energy space as a recruiter so that he could have a more direct impact on the industry. He has now worked on various positions focusing mainly within the Solar PV and Onshore Wind markets across Europe and the U.S.
Outside of work he is a big Leeds United fan as he believes that they are the best team in the League despite fighting a relegation battle and infrequently goes to the gym to get “shredded”.
List of ongoing mandates 2023/24:
German – Solar PV – Business Developer
German – Wind - Accountant/Finance Manager
French – Solar PV – Land Scout
French – Solar PV – Project Developer
Italy – Solar PV – Project & Structured Finance Sr. Analyst
Italy – Solar PV – Legal Counsel
Portuguese – Solar PV – Site Manager
U.S – Construction manager
U.S – Interconnection Manager
U.S – Director of Development
Areas of specialism:
Business Development/origination
EPC roles
Project finance
Grid Connection/Interconnections
Experience in the industry:
2 years in B2C sales for renewable utility companies.
Alexandra Clarkson
Bio:
Alexandra began her career with the Octavius Group in 2021 just after she had finished her A-levels. Alex is the operations manager based in our London Office. Alex is integral to the day to day running of the ship and she is responsible for our internal recruitment function.
Outside of the office, Alex is a keen dancer (ballet, tap, commercial, modern) and went viral on TikTok, with over 500,000 views!
Anna Pengelly
‘’I wanted to convey my heartfelt and sincere thanks for all your help to get here. What an incredible place to be, with really lovely people I get to learn from. I couldn’t have found a better role, and I’m grateful that our paths crossed! I wanted to let you know that I couldn’t be more pleased with landing a seat here, and I’m so excited about learning from these great minds around me.’’
– Equity Researcher - Long only asset manager
Bio:
Anna began her career with Octavius Finance at the beginning of 2023, after completing her Law degree from the university of Exeter and Graduating with a 2:1.
After many years working in hospitality, Anna specialises in mandates across the Macro, ESG and Investment space. in in mandates across the Macro, ESG and Investment space.
Anna was vegan for 5 years but then realised that her love for sushi was too great so she had to give that up.
But Anna doesn’t stop there, she has been playing the piano since she was 6 and is now a grade 8 pianist !
Anna has worked on many high profile projects including:
Expanded senior sales team for an investment advisory firm in London.
Facilitated mid to senior-level hires across diverse equity research strategies.
Managed senior hires across the macro space on the buy side, contributing to strategic capabilities.
Established ESG teams within asset management to promote sustainable investment practices.
Anna’s recent 2023/24 placements include:
Fixed Income Execution Trader- London Based Asset Management firm
Economic Research Analyst- Global Macro Hedge Fund in London
Consumer Equity Research Analyst- Boutique Long Only Fund in London
Senior Sales Executive- ESG Fintech Firm in London
Fund Analyst- ESG Investment Advisory Firm in London
Senior Consumer Equity Researcher- London Based Long Short Market Neutral Hedge Fund
Senior ESG Specialist- Long Only Asset Manager in London
Senior US Economist- Macroeconomic Consultancy in London
RJ Jayaratne
Bio:
RJ is the head of our renewables arm, his recruitment experience within the field spans over 14 years working with a number of clients within the renewable energy industry globally.
Known for his sheer size and strength, RJ is warmly referred to as our ‘hulk’, in addition to recruitment, RJ has taken part on a number of charity events including a white collar boxing event in aid of The Lily Foundation. RJ is also an Arsenal fan, but no one really cares about that.
Mohamed Tahoun
Bio:
Mohamed joined the Octavius team in May 2023 as a researcher. He has acquired industry experience having previously filled several roles across the financial services industry and is currently completing his Master’s at King’s College London.
As an Egyptian, he lives up to his country’s reputation and loves playing squash, along with other racket sports. He likes to keep active and go to the gym, but that is mainly to burn off all the pasta he eats.
James Bennett
"James was extremely helpful. My experience dealing with James was very pleasant and positive, helping me to remain patient and motivated throughout the interview process."
Bio:
James is a welcome addition to the Octavius Finance team, having previous experience in the private equity recruitment space.
James now builds on his experience in private markets, working within our Fundamental Equity and Credit practice to serve our firmly established business consulting with leading public equity concerns.
An avid proponent of the printed press, James was delighted to learn that all the major newspapers of record are provided free in the Lobby each morning. Should you find James hard to reach on the phone you will find him most lunchtimes in the local Wetherspoons at table 108 tucking into the Gourmet meal of the day over that weeks FT.
James‘ 2023/24 Mandates:
Growth Equity VP, Software Subsector - New York
Long Short Equity Analyst (Consumer), $8bn Hedge Fund - New York
Portfolio Manager (Capital Goods), Market Neutral Hedge Fund - London
M&A Associate, Boutique Investment Bank, Metals & Mining - London
M&A Analyst, Boutique Investment Bank, Industrials - London
Secondaries & Co-Investment Associate, GP led – London
Areas Of Specialism:
Asset Management
Hedge Funds (Fundamental Equity & Credit Strategies)
Middle-Market Private Equity (Venture, Growth, Buyout)
Investment Banking M&A
Karl Cunningham
Bio:
Karl is a VP within our Quant research team. Karl’s journey began in European commodities trading before transitioning to the world of quants. Beyond work, he is passionate about travel—last year, he celebrated his 30th birthday in his 30th country!
Sports are close to his heart; he played football for hometown club Lincoln City and enjoyed a stint in Sweden. Now, he’s ready to bring his diverse experiences to new challenges.
Tatiana Leonova
Bio:
Tatiana has recently wrapped up her Bachelor’s Degree in business at Birkbeck, University of London, and has spent the last three years diving into the world of sales and customer service as a Business Development Executive. It's been a wild ride for her, learning how to connect with people and help businesses grow.
When she’s not in work mode, you can find her shredding the slopes on a snowboard or hopping on a plane to explore new destinations.
She once took a shot at The X Factor and made it all the way to the third stage!
We’re super excited for Tatiana to bring her energy and skills to the team at Octavius Finance. We can't wait to see what we’ll accomplish together!