Black Creek Investment Management Inc. today announced that international equity fund manager Richard Jenkins will be joining the firm as a co-owner with investment manager Bill Kanko.

Jenkins joins Black Creek from AIM Trimark. His resignation follows the departures of Tye Bousada and Geoff MacDonald, who left AIM Trimark to form EdgePoint Capital Partners Inc.

“I am very excited to be partnering with Richard again,” says Kanko, who founded Black Creek in 2004. “One of my goals for Black Creek is to create a firm with outstanding international equity management expertise. Richard’s capability as an investor and his knowledge of international markets makes for an interesting combination of talents and this is the best fit I could have imagined.”

Toronto-based Black Creek acts as portfolio advisor for two funds at Hartford Investments — Hartford Global Leaders Fund and Hartford Global Balanced Fund.

Edmonton-born Jenkins began his career as an investment analyst in 1986. From 1994 to 2008, Jenkins worked at AIM Trimark where he was lead manager for a number of mutual funds including Trimark Select Growth Fund, Trimark Europlus Fund, and Trimark Global Balanced Fund.

Jenkins will join Black Creek in July 2008 when a non-compete clause in his contract expires.

AIM Trimark Investments says that Bruce Harrop will assume lead management responsibilities of Trimark Select Growth Fund/Class effective immediately. Evelyn Huang will continue as co-manager.

Harrop is a veteran of the Trimark discipline. As a portfolio manager of Trimark Global Balanced Fund since 2004, he has been a major contributor to its long-term success.

Prior to joining AIM Trimark in 1999, Harrop worked as a portfolio manager for Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board. He received an electrical engineering degree from the University of Alberta and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.

AIM Trimark also announced that as a result of Harrop’s added responsibilities, Jeff Hyrich, lead manager of Trimark Global Endeavour Fund will replace Harrop on Trimark Fund. Hyrich will co-manage the fund with current lead manager, Dana Love.