Hearts & Minds appoints operating chief

Hearts & Minds Investments has hired a chief operating officer, promoting from within.

The six-year-old philanthropic listed investment company has announced the elevation of Maggie O'Neil to the position from head of marketing and operations.

As a founding team member of Hearts & Minds, O'Neill has played a key role in growing the firm into one of Australia's leading corporate givers, which allocates 1.5 per cent of its assets to medical research charities each year.

"This well-deserved promotion reflects Maggie's outstanding leadership, dedication, and the significant impact she has made across the organisation," said Brett Jolie, the chief executive of Hearts & Minds and former managing director at abrdn.

"She has been instrumental in strengthening our operations, deepening relationships with key stakeholders, leading the coordination of the annual Sohn Hearts & Minds Conference, and driving the continued success of our strategic initiatives."

O'Neill added: "From the very first Sohn Hearts & Minds Conference in 2016, it's been an incredible journey - full of growth, challenges, laughter, purpose, and most of all, phenomenal people. I've been lucky to learn from, be mentored by, and backed by those around me, often before I felt ready myself.

Previously, she was a marketing and product specialist at UBS

Newcomer Tais Fremder of Livewire Markets has, to some extent, stepped into her role.

Jolie confirmed Fremder will take on the role of partnership and operations.

Before working with wealth management firms at Livewire as a partnerships manager, she did a two-year stint at Iress as a client account manager following five years at UBS in a cash equities support role.

Hearts and Minds focuses on generating long-term capital growth by investing in high-conviction ideas from leading fund managers.

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