Scipion Capital Group, an international commodity trade finance investment manager, has appointed Taran Bains to head up its sales and marketing function.

Bains, who brings a wealth of experience on both the investment and sales sides of the industry, will lead a focused international business development drive.

Bains combines 18 years of portfolio management experience with a deep understanding of all asset classes, investor marketing and fund distribution.

In her previous roles, she has been responsible for raising significant sums on behalf of private banks and family offices, as well as advising on assets and allocations in client portfolios.

She began her career in 1997 with Baring Asset Management in London, as part of its institutional and charity business, before moving to become a senior analyst for a multi-family office’s single strategy hedge fund range.

For the last 10 years, Bains has held a number of senior roles across London and Geneva at leading houses including Standard and Poor’s, UBS Wealth Management and Coutts, where she provided investment solutions to both institutional and private clients.

She also managed the private wealth for an ultra-high net worth family between the UAE and Singapore.

Scipion has seen significant interest from investors in its flagship Commodity Trade Finance fund, which finances trade in softs, minerals and metals in Africa.

In response to this interest, and in preparation for a number of new strategies which are planned to be rolled out later this year, Scipion will be targeting investors across Europe, US, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia and Australasia with Bains leading the firm’s asset raising efforts.

The firm has experienced significant growth over the last two years, and continues to strengthen its investment, marketing, legal and operational teams - as part of the increased institutionalisation of the firm’s structure, and in response to burgeoning investor interest in the global commodity trade industry.

The increasing importance of Africa as a leading source of commodities for developed and emerging nations, namely the US and China, has resulted in significant inflows into Scipion’s commodities trade finance strategies.

Nicolas Clavel, CIO of Scipion, said: “Investors continue to identify our CTF strategy as an effective way to tap into the potential that the “Africa Rising” story presents. The vast potential of the region, combined with our track record, has seen significant recent interest and inflows into the firm.”

“Our ambition now is to capitalise on this interest globally, and to prepare the market for new and innovative strategies we have in the pipeline. Taran brings an intimate knowledge of both the sales and investment sides of the market, which makes her ideally placed to help us do that. We have no doubt Taran will prove to be a hire of the highest calibre,” he said.