Investment Team

David Byrne

Portfolio Manager

David Byrne, CFA joined Setanta in 2007 and has 18 years’ experience in the asset management industry. In addition to managing the Global Consumer Discretionary sector Learn more

David also manages the European Equity Fund. He has a BA in Economics and Geography from University College Dublin and an MSc in Finance from Leeds Metropolitan University.

David Coyne

Portfolio Manager

David Coyne joined Setanta in 2005 and has 25 years’ investment experience. He began his career with AIB Investment Managers as a research analyst / trainee Learn more

fund manager. David is co-lead on the Setanta Global Equity Fund and has responsibility for the Global Financials sector within the Global Equity Fund. He has a primary degree in Maths / Economics from Trinity College, Dublin and an MSc in Investment and Treasury from Dublin City University.

Kieran Dempsey

Managing Director & Chief Investment Officer

Kieran joined Setanta Asset Management in January 2008 and is the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer. He has 36 years’ investment experience and spent Learn more

many years working internationally. Prior to Setanta Asset Management Kieran was Chief Executive Officer of GE Asset Management based in London, England and had a career of over 13 years with GE, including 7 years in Munich, Germany as Chief Investment Officer of GE Insurance Solutions. Prior to GE, Kieran worked at ABN Amro in London for 9 years in various investment roles, including 3 years as Head of Investments of Private Banking. Kieran holds a BA from University College Dublin. He is also a Director of Irish Life Investment Managers and is a board member of the Irish Association of Investment Managers (IAIM).

Richard Doyle

Portfolio Manager

Richard Doyle, CFA, co-manages Setanta’s Dividend Fund and Income Opportunities Fund. Learn more

Prior to joining Setanta in 2008, he worked as an Equity Manager at Bank of Ireland Asset Management. He started his career in Edinburgh, training with Scottish Investment Trust as a Fund Manager. Richard has a B.A. in Economics from the University of Dublin, Trinity College and has been a CFA Charterholder since 2003.

Sean Kenzie

Head of Equities

Sean Kenzie, CFA, MBA joined Setanta in 2010 and has 21 years’ experience in the asset management industry. Sean is co-lead on the Setanta Global Learn more

Equity Fund and also co-manages the German Equity Fund. Sean also has sector responsibility for the Global Industrials sector. He spent 11 years working in CHC Asset Management running the CHC International Equity Fund. He has a BA Insurance and an MBA (Finance) from UCD Smurfit Business School and is a CFA charterholder.

Louis Meagher

Portfolio Manager

Louis Meagher, CFA, CAIA, joined Setanta in 2014 and has 25 years’ investment experience. Louis is responsible for the Global Consumer Staples sector and Learn more

also co-manages the German Equity Fund. Prior to joining Setanta, Louis worked as an equity fund manager with Irish Life Investment Managers and before that as an equity research analyst with Goldman Sachs in London and Morgan Stanley in New York. Louis has a B.A. in Economics from University College Dublin and an M.Sc. in Investment & Treasury from Dublin City University. Louis is also a CFA charterholder and a CAIA charterholder.

David Pastor

Portfolio Manager

David Pastor, CFA joined Setanta Asset Management in 2007. He has 15 years’ experience in the asset management industry. Learn more

He co-manages Setanta’s various income-oriented portfolios, including the Dividend and Income Opportunities Funds. David is also responsible for management of the Global Infrastructure sector within the Global Equity Fund. He has a BS in Business Administration from Universidad de Burgos and is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). David is also a CFA charterholder.

David Ryan

Head of Multi-Asset Funds

David Ryan, CFA, CAIA, FRM joined Setanta in 2003. David is responsible for our Multi-Asset Fund range including the Managed Fund and UWP Funds. Learn more

He has 24 years’ experience in the asset management industry, covering equity, bond and cash mandates. In addition, he oversees our fixed income strategies, alternative asset classes and fixed income manager relationships. He has a BBS Hons. (Finance) from Dublin City University and has attained the Chartered Financial Analyst, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst and certified Financial Risk Manager designations.

Fergal Sarsfield

Portfolio Manager

Fergal Sarsfield, CFA joined Setanta in 2007 and has 22 years’ investment experience. Fergal has sector responsibility for the Global Technology sector within the Setanta Learn more

Global Equity Fund in addition to co-managing the Setanta EAFE Equity Fund. He spent 5 years working in KBC Asset Management mainly as an Asian Equity analyst before joining Setanta Asset Management in 2007. He has a BBS and a post graduate Diploma in Corporate Governance as well as being a CFA Charterholder since 2004.

Rowan Smith

Portfolio Manager

Rowan Smith joined Setanta in 1998 and has 23 years’ experience in the asset management industry. Rowan is responsible for the Global Healthcare sector and Learn more

has managed other global sector portfolios in the past. Rowan also co-manages the EAFE Equity Fund. He gained his BA in Accounting from the National College of Ireland in 1998 and became an Associate of the Society of Investment Analysts in Ireland in 2001, having completed the organisation’s professional exams that year.

Conor Walshe

Portfolio Manager

Conor Walshe joined Setanta in 2014 and has 25 years’ investment experience. Conor has co-managed the EAFE Equity Fund since 2014. At the beginning of 2023, Learn more

he assumed responsibility for the Global Industrials sector. He started his career as an equity analyst at Goodbody Stockbrokers before moving to Pioneer Investments to analyse and manage European Utilities. Prior to joining Setanta, he spent 7 years in Irish Life Investment Managers managing a number of global sector portfolios. He has a B Comm and MBS in Finance from University College Dublin.

Caroline White

Portfolio Manager

Caroline White, CFA joined Setanta in 2016 and has 13 years’ experience in the asset management and finance industry. Caroline manages the Global Energy Learn more

and Materials sectors within the Global Equity Fund and co-manages the Setanta Dividend Fund and Income Opportunities Fund. She spent 4 years with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and 3 years as an Analyst and Assistant Portfolio Manager at Kinsale Capital Management before joining Setanta. She has a BBS from Trinity College Dublin and is a CFA Charterholder since 2014.

Ronan Crosson

Sustainable Investing Lead

Ronan Crosson, CFA, joined Setanta in May 2022. Ronan leads Sustainable Investing (ESG) integration on the investment team Learn more

He began his career with State Street Global Advisors where he was a VP on the fundamental equity team with responsibility for consumer sector portfolios. Most recently he served as Director of Data Strategy and Analytics at Eagle Alpha where he helped professional investors apply data and analytics to the investment process, with a particular focus on ESG. He has a BSc (hons.) in Finance, Computing and Entrepreneurship, he is a CFA Charterholder, he has completed a postgraduate diploma in Data Analytics, and he has achieved the CFA certificate in ESG Investing.

Tony O’Sullivan

Equity Analyst – Asian Markets

Tony O’Sullivan, CFA, ACA joined Setanta in April 2022 and is an equity analyst covering the Asian markets. Learn more

Tony started his career at Deloitte as an Auditor before moving to KBC Bank Ireland as a credit risk analyst. Prior to Setanta, he worked for seven years at Carraighill, as a fundamental equity analyst. He has a BSc (Hons) in Accounting from University College Cork and is a qualified chartered accountant. In addition, Tony is a CFA^® charter holder.

Emer Kelly

Portfolio Manager

Emer Kelly, CFA joined Setanta in August 2022 and has 10 years experience in the asset management industry.Learn more

Emer works as Portfolio Manager supporting the Multi Asset Funds.

She was a Senior Portfolio Associate with PIMCO, Dublin and also worked with RBC Phillips, Hager & North Investment Counsel, Vancouver, Canada as Portfolio Management Associate, prior to joining Setanta.

She has a BBS from University of Limerick , is a CFA Charterholder and has also achieved the CFA certificate in ESG Investing.

Business Development & Client Services

Sarah Jane Blom

Senior Technical Specialist – Client Reporting

Sarah Blom SIA, QFA joined Setanta in 2006 and has 15 years’ experience across the Client Services and Marketing area of Setanta. Learn more

She has a Diploma in Stockbroking and Investments from DBS as well as Professional Diploma in Financial Advice ‘QFA’ obtained in 2011. Sarah has also been awarded the Professional Certificate in Asset Management ‘SIA’ from the Institute of Banking.

Aidan Comerford

Operations Manager

Aidan has more than 28 years’ experience within the asset management industry across a diverse range of functions. Learn more

These cover investment operations, risk and compliance, project management, on-boarding and client servicing supporting different jurisdictions and regulatory environments. Aidan is currently responsible for overseeing operational/portfolio mandate risk reporting, cash & portfolio monitoring, Client Reporting/Services and business project initiatives. Aidan has two separate stints with Setanta joining in 2000 and re-joining in 2016 following two and half years as Head of Business Support Services at Irish Life Investment Managers. Aidan has previously worked with New Ireland Investment Managers and Bank of Ireland Asset Management. Aidan holds a BSc. in Business & Information Technology from Trinity College Dublin.

Alan Hickey

Director of Business Development

Alan joined Setanta in 2007 and has 34 years’ experience in Investments and Insurance, most recently as European CEO and Head Learn more

of European Business Development for Conning Asset Management, a subsidiary of Swiss Re Group. Prior to this, he was an Equity Portfolio Manager for Swiss Re Asset Management, a Director for Swiss Re Funds and the General manager for Swiss Re International Treasury (Ireland) Ltd. Alan worked in the UK where he was a Treasury Manager with M&G Re, a subsidiary of the Prudential, an Accountant with Terra Nova and AIG. Alan holds a BA in Accounting and Finance from Dublin City University, and is a qualified Management Accountant (ACMA), a corporate treasurer (ACT) and alumni of London Business School’s Investment Management Executive Program.

Brendan Moran

Director, Business Development – Ireland

Brendan joined Setanta in 2014. He has over 30 years’ investment experience, most recently as Head of Equities with Learn more

Irish Life Investment Managers. He has held various investment roles at Irish Life, including ‘Fund Manager – US Equities’ and ‘Global Sector Specialist – Technology & Telecoms’, before being appointed Head of Equities in 2006. Brendan has worked closely with both the consultant community and directly with clients in this role, understanding client requirements and implementing equity strategies. Brendan was appointed to the ILIM Fund Management Executive Team in 2010, with broader oversight and responsibility. He qualified with a BComm from University College Dublin and has since received his CDipAF from the ACCA, and MSC (Investment and Treasury) from Dublin City University.

Rocco Vessio

Director, Business Development – Canada

Rocco joined Setanta Asset Management in April 2016 and brings over 32 years’ of experience driving the success Learn more

of the Asset Management and Asset Consulting Industries. At Setanta, Rocco is responsible for Canadian business development and maintaining existing and new relationships. Prior to joining Setanta, he was at Guardian Capital with his attention on corporate development in both Canada and the U.S. He also spent 12 years with RBC Dexia Investor Services as Senior Consultant assisting Pension Plan Clients. Rocco began his career in 1989 as a performance analyst at Confed Investment Counselling. In 1994, he joined SEI Investments as an analyst and shortly thereafter joined the consulting team.

Jan Strobel

Business Development Manager – Germany

Jan joined Setanta in March 2021 and has 20 years´ experience in Sales and Business Development Management of the investment and insurance Industries Learn more

most recently as Director Sales for Liechtenstein Life AG / Prosperity Brokershome AG. Prior to this he was a Business Development Manager at the German branch of Aegon Ireland plc. with his attention on introduction of “Anglo-Saxon” investment & insurance solutions and new advisory approaches to retirement planning in the German market.

He also spent 8 years as Sales Manager and Regional Sales Director with Skandia AG. In this role he worked closely with different types of brokers and advisors in Germany. Jan is now based in Frankfurt am Main and is responsible for German Business Development, maintaining and expanding existing and new relationships. He holds a diploma in business administration with a focus on insurance economics and is Retirement Planner (European Business School).

Alan Mai

Specialist – Investment Operations and Client Services

Alan Mai, CFA, joined Setanta in December 2021. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Learn more

Alan worked in the local stockbroking and wealth management industry supporting senior advisors in providing investment advice and investment management solutions to their client base. He has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and is a CFA charterholder as of August 2021.

Directors

Raman Srivastava (Chairman)
Non-Executive Director (Canadian)

Kieran Dempsey
Executive Director (Irish), Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, Setanta Asset Management

Ruairí O’Flynn
Non-Executive Director (Irish)

Patrick Burke
Non-Executive Director (Irish), Managing Director, Irish Life Investment Managers

Rose McHugh
Independent Non-Executive Director (Irish)