Old Mutual GC takes EMEA role at Neuberger Berman
Neuberger Berman, the investment manager that was bought by Lehman Brothers and subsequently sold after the bank’s collapse, has appointed a new legal head for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Meekal Hashmi
Meekal Hashmi, until now general counsel at Old Mutual Asset Managers (UK) (OMAM), takes up the role today, reporting to Neuberger Berman EMEA head Dik van Lomwel.
Hashmi, a former Clifford Chance corporate associate, moved in-house in 1999 to financial services group Citco, where he was a legal counsel, before joining Baring Asset Management as general counsel in 2002, a position he held until his 2006 switch to OMAM (8 May 2007).
Hashmi said of his move to Neuberger Berman: “I’m looking forward to an exciting challenge with such an established and growing company.”
Neuberger Berman has 40 in-house lawyers globally, including three in the UK, with the overall team headed by global legal chief Heather Zuckerman in New York.
Lehman bought the company in 2003 but sold it to management shortly after the bank filed for bankruptcy in 2008. The management buyout - on which Proskauer Rose advised the Neuberger Berman management - followed bids from private equity groups Bain Capital and Hellman & Friedman.
Weil Gotshal & Manges, Lehman’s bankruptcy lawyers, advised the seller. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton’s Chris Austin advised Hellman, while Ropes & Gray partner Alfred Rose acted for Bain (23 September 2008).
Lehman retained a 49 per cent stake in Neuberger Berman at the time but announced last year that is was now selling this, with Proskauer again advising the investment manager.
A Neuberger Berman spokesperson said the company had no preferred list of law firms.
OMAM did not respond to a request for comment on who will replace Hashmi as its legal head.
