New CEO Aus & NZ named for Lazard

Lazard Asset Management (LAM) has announced the appointment of Paul Cuddy as the firm's new chief executive officer, Australia & NZ, effective 28 February 2018.

In addition to continuing to grow the institutional business, Cuddy will focus on expanding LAM's retail efforts.

Cuddy is currently LAM's managing director and head of sales, a role he was appointed to in February 2017. Prior to this, he was CEO and co-founder of Bennelong Australian Equity Partners (BAEP), a role he retired from in August 2015.

Previously, he held senior portfolio management roles at ING Investment Management, NRMA Asset Management and Westpac Investment Management.

At LAM he will replace outgoing CEO, Rob Prugue, who is retiring from the asset management industry at the end of February.