Aston Hill Financial Inc. is making changes in its portfolio manager personnel, the Calgary-based firm said Monday.

Ravi Sood is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. Sood was a long time portfolio manager with Navina Asset Management Inc., a company acquired by Aston Hill in August 2010.

Replacing Sood is Jeffrey Burchell, who is joining the Aston hill team as a portfolio manager effective November 15.

Burchell has extensive experience managing long-short equities. Most recently, he worked for Polar Securities, a leading Toronto-based alternative asset manager, where he focused on a U.S. and Canadian market neutral mandate. His prior experience includes research and sales roles at various investment banks in Toronto. He brings a broad experience base and a strong understanding of many sector groups within the North American equity markets.

Burchell graduated with a Masters in Business Administration and Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University, as well as an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Acadia University.

Burchell will be assuming lead portfolio manager duties on certain funds previously managed by Sood, including Navina Opportunities Fund, Lawrence Partners Fund and Lawrence Enterprise Fund.

In another change, Andrew Hamlin, who has been with Aston Hill since 2007, will be assuming lead portfolio management duties on Global Agribusiness Trust, the TOROS fund, and Navina Global Resource Fund.

IE