Aston Hill Announces Retirement of Chief Operating Officer

TORONTO, Dec. 14, 2015 /CNW/ - Aston Hill Financial Inc. (the "Company" or "Aston Hill") (TSX: AHF) announces the retirement of Neil Murdoch from his role as Chief Operating Officer of Aston Hill, President of Aston Hill Asset Management Inc. and Chief Executive Officer of Aston Hill Capital Markets Inc. effective December 31, 2015. Mr. Murdoch joined Aston Hill in August 2013 through the Company's acquisition of Connor, Clark & Lunn Capital Markets Inc., and was appointed to the role of COO in September 2014.

Interim Chief Financial Officer, Derek Slemko, will be appointed COO. The Company anticipates a smooth transition as Mr. Slemko has been actively involved in all corporate operational initiatives in his current role. Mr. Slemko joined Aston Hill in 2006 as Corporate Controller and during his time with the Company has had several roles focused on both finance and operations including, most recently, Senior Vice President of Finance and Business Development prior to being appointed as Interim CFO in July 2015.  

"I've had the pleasure of working closely with Neil since he first joined Aston Hill," said Ben Cheng, President and Chief Investment Officer. "He has been an important part of the senior management team and was instrumental in the corporate reorganization that took place through 2015. His expertise in the areas of corporate strategy, business development and operations were valuable assets from the day he joined Aston Hill, and I know I speak for the entire Aston Hill team when I say that we will miss his day-to-day involvement and we wish him all the best."

Mr. Murdoch intends to dedicate more time to his personal endeavors as a board member for several companies and charities and will continue as an angel investor within the Canadian business environment.

"There is never a perfect time to transition the COO role, but I feel that having achieved certain milestones it is a good time to pass on the reins," said Mr. Murdoch. "Aston Hill has successfully undergone a corporate restructuring and, combined with the on-going investments made in the retail distribution platform and internal infrastructure, has positioned itself to drive meaningful profitability and growth in its proprietary products. I am proud of what we have achieved together and wish everyone continued success moving forward."

Said Mr. Cheng, "I have every confidence in the capabilities Derek Slemko brings to the role of COO. I've personally worked alongside him since the day I joined Aston Hill almost nine years ago. His expertise in the areas of finance, operations and business strategy combined with his deep knowledge of Aston Hill ensure a smooth transition and his success in the position."

Aston Hill Financial Inc. (TSX: AHF) is a diversified asset management company with a suite of retail mutual funds, closed end funds, hedge funds and segregated institutional funds. Aston Hill Financial has offices in Toronto and Halifax. Aston Hill Asset Management Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aston Hill Financial Inc. Aston Hill Capital Markets Inc., a subsidiary of Aston Hill Financial Inc., is a leading Canadian structured financial products investment firm focused on creating and managing high quality investment vehicles.

SOURCE Aston Hill Financial Inc.

For further information concerning this press release, please contact: Peter Anderson, Chief Executive Officer (Interim), Aston Hill Financial Inc., [phone], [email protected]