Merris’ practice focuses on high net worth cases, financial proceedings, pre and post-nuptial agreements and children issues including parental alienation, allegations of abuse, and international relocations.

Commenting on the new appointment, executive partner Caroline McNally said: “Kelly joining the firm will add to the depth and knowledge of our team. She has unprecedented international experience primarily at one of England’s leading family law practices and an incredible track record – we are all delighted to welcome her on board.”

Admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2017 and as a barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 2012, Merris received a joint undergraduate bachelor of law and bachelor of arts (politics/economics) degree from the University of Western Australia.

PGIM
, part of US-based Prudential Financial, has appointed Murray Brewer as head of the institutional relationship group for Australia and New Zealand. Brewer is based in Sydney.

In this role, Brewer will develop and implement an institutional client strategy and work with all PGIM business units. He reports to Philip Hsin, head of IRG Asia Pacific (ex-Japan).

The firm set up a local presence in 2011 and the Australian team has 24 employees with services including debt financing to Australian and New Zealand corporations through PGIM Private Capital as well as real estate private equity and debt through PGIM Real Estate.

Prior to joining PGIM, Brewer was country head of Australia for Capital Group. Prior to PGIM, he spent 14 years as country head of distribution for Australia and New Zealand for T Rowe Price. Before that, he was director and head of distribution for Australia at Schroders Investment Management, overseeing institutional and advisor-directed sales, client service, marketing, and product development. He previously worked at AMP Asset Management, Lloyds Bank, and Westpac Financial Services.

Goodwin
Global law firm has appointed Matthew Nortcliff to its Private Investment Funds practice as a partner.

Nortcliff, based in Singapore since 2010, represents clients with a particular focus on the real assets, private equity, venture capital, and technology sectors. He advises managers on the establishment and operation (including regulatory matters) of a wide range of funds, structured investments, and joint ventures. He also advises investors on their fund investments, and corporate and real asset transactions, across Asia and globally. Prior to joining Goodwin, Nortcliff led an international law firm’s funds and indirect real assets practice in Asia.

“Matt is an impactful addition to our global funds platform as well as our Asia offering,” said Greg Barclay, chair of Goodwin’s Singapore office and a partner in the firm’s Private Investment Funds practice. “His practice fits squarely within our core strategy of advising clients raising, deploying and lending capital in the region and around the world and the depth of his experience in this market will provide invaluable support to our clients.”

Goodwin’s Asia funds team — which in addition to Nortcliff and Barclay includes partners Phil Culhane and Elyn Xing and counsels Dominic Wong and Manish Ranjan - works with the firm’s other lawyers in Hong Kong and Singapore focused on private equity, technology and M&A. The team is part of a cross-border practice with more than 200 lawyers representing more than 1,000 investment managers around the world.

The firm advises clients who raise funds ranging from less than $10 million to over $25 billion, with a particular focus on private equity, real estate, venture capital, infrastructure, fund-of-funds, credit/debt, impact and responsible investing, emerging market, hedge, and listed funds.