Balyasny hires Alexandra Theis to lead EMEA PM integration

Balyasny Asset Management has appointed Alexandra Theis as head of portfolio manager integration and relationship management for EMEA. She will work on the firm’s London platform alongside Jessica McMullen, who joined in June in a comparable role.

The appointments form part of an expansion of Balyasny’s London operation. The firm added more than 100 staff in London over the past year, based on LinkedIn data, with a large share of hiring focused on commodities and quantitative strategies. Around 14 portfolio managers joined the London platform during the same period.

Theis joined from BNP Paribas, where she was a director in prime brokerage sales. She also runs an external coaching practice that offers guidance on wellbeing and fertility. McMullen joined Balyasny from Citi, where she was a senior vice president in prime finance.

Portfolio manager integration and relationship management roles cover the operational work to onboard, coordinate and support individual managers within a multi-manager structure. Typical responsibilities include coordinating with central operations, setting up trading and prime brokerage arrangements, and managing relations between investment teams and central functions.

Balyasny declined to comment on the specific responsibilities attached to either executive.