Gavin Yates exits Arini as US head of investments

Gavin Yates has left Arini Capital Management, where he served as head of US investments and led the firm’s New York office, people familiar with the matter confirmed. Arini declined to comment on the departure.

Yates joined Arini in 2021 before the firm’s formal launch. He relocated from London to New York in 2024 to run the firm’s U.S. operations and oversee the New York investment team. At Arini he contributed to the firm’s credit-focused strategies.

The firm posted about an 8% decline in July after several credit positions moved against it. Losses included positions tied to Aston Martin Lagonda and credit default swaps that were intended to provide protection on Virgin Media debt. The July drawdown followed a period of elevated volatility for concentrated credit bets.

Other senior departures have taken place this year. Investment team member Ben Elliott left earlier in the year. The firm’s first chief risk officer, James Howard, left several months ago to take another role. Those exits have reduced the size of the investment group while the firm adjusts its team.

Arini is led by Hamza Lemssouguer, whose approach centers on large, concentrated credit positions. The firm has grown since its launch and manages about $21 billion in assets. It was initially backed by investors including Squarepoint Capital; that partnership has since ended and Arini now operates independently.