The asset management arm of Switzerland's Mirabaud has expanded its UK distribution team with the hire of a sales director.

Mirabaud Asset Management has appointed James Southern as sales director in the UK.

Southern, previously sales director at Sanlam Four, will join the London team in September. He brings 15 years' experience in the investment industry, having also worked at Allianz Global Investors and Legg Mason Global Investors.

Southern will report to the business's head of sales and marketing for the UK and northern Europe, Paul Boughton.

“Due to the robust investment processes and performance of these funds we are starting to see significant interest across the range and with James’s industry experience and wide range of contacts we see this as an opportunity to broaden our reach into the UK intermediary market,” said Boughton.

With offices in Paris, London, Montreal, Barcelona, Zurich and Geneva, Mirabaud Asset Management looks after SFr 8.5 billion ($8.7 billion) of assets.