Ascalon hires from SCM, Zenith and GQG

Ascalon Capital has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of a chief executive and two new partners, including a founder of Zenith Investment Partners.

Aubrey Roga joins as chief executive of the investment consulting and asset management firm, with Shane Hawke moving to head of implemented consulting and investment research.

Roga brings over two decades of experience in asset management, strategic accounts, and executive advisory leadership.

Previously, he was the chief executive and managing partner at SCM Financial Group, a professional services firm.

Before his 10 years with SCM, he served as head of strategic accounts and IFAs at NAB Wealth and insurance lead at MLC.

He also worked at Colonial First State as head of platform distribution.

Hawke, who will now oversee portfolio construction, execution and client strategy, welcomed Roga to the team.

"With his deep experience, proven leadership, and strong alignment to our client-first values, I know the business, and more importantly, our clients and partners are in exceptional hands," he said.

"This leadership evolution also allows me to focus even more deeply on the investment strategy and research that underpins our performance. I'm personally excited to support this next chapter as we build a new team and deliver even greater impact."

Hawke acknowledged the breadth of Roga's experience.

"Aubrey has walked in the shoes of advisers, platforms, and institutional partners. He's led from both sides of the business - and understands what high performance looks like from every angle," he said.

Hawke also welcomed Ben Davis and Tori Flygare, who landed from Zenith Investment Partners and GQG Partners, respectively.

A founding partner at Zenith, Davis helped shape the firm's strategic direction, leading both its investment consulting and research divisions and spearheading the launch of Zenith's Mosaic platform.

He has worked closely with managed account clients and served as a core member of Zenith's investment committee, where he guided multi-asset solutions and portfolio governance at scale

At Ascalon, Davis will lead strategic investment consulting.

For her part, Flygare brings over 15 years of frontline experience in funds management, with a focus on institutional trading, multi-asset strategy, and business growth.

She has held senior roles at top-tier firms including GQG Partners, Magellan Asset Management, and Ankura Capital.

In the new role, Flygare will consult to private wealth, family office, institutional and endowment clients.

Noting that the advice market continues to evolve, Hawke said Ascalon Capital was founded to deliver institutional-grade solutions to Australia's independent financial services sector.

"With a deepened team and a proven operator at the helm, Ascalon is positioned to continue to enhance its partnership-led investment consulting and asset management services," he said.

The appointments come as speculation mounts that other Zenith executives will join Davis at Ascalon.