Exciting new appointments to IMF Bentham

IMF Bentham Limited is delighted to welcome the following new appointments and to thank and farewell one of its non-executive directors:

Christine Feldmanis appointed to the board of directors

Christine Feldmanis has been appointed to IMF Bentham’s board of directors (Board) with effect from 1 November 2018. Ms Feldmanis has more than 30 years’ experience in the financial sector in areas including investment management, finance, accounting and risk management and governance in both listed and unlisted financial product markets. Ms Feldmanis formerly held senior executive and C-suite positions with firms including Elders Finance, Bankers Trust, NSW TCorp and Treasury Group.

Ms Feldmanis has been appointed by the Board as an additional director and will stand for election at the forthcoming AGM on 21 November 2018.

Wendy McCarthy AO retires as non-executive director

Ms Feldmanis joins the Board as part of the Board’s renewal following the decision of Wendy McCarthy AO to retire from the Board at the conclusion of the 2018 AGM.  Ms McCarthy will also be retiring from her positions as Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee, Chair of the Nomination Committee and member of the Audit and Risk Committee and Remuneration Committee.

Ms McCarthy has been a non-executive director of IMF Bentham since December 2013. She has also held many significant leadership roles in key national and international bodies, including eight years as Deputy Chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ten years as Chancellor of the University of Canberra, and 12 years of service to Plan Australia. Ms McCarthy has made a wonderful contribution to IMF Bentham’s development and transformation over the past five years and IMF Bentham wishes her well in her future life.

Stuart Mitchell appointed Chief Financial Officer

Stuart Mitchell will join IMF Bentham as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective from 12 November 2018. Mr Mitchell is a qualified lawyer, Chartered Accountant and Chartered Company Secretary who has over 20 years’ commercial experience in the Australian financial services sector.  His experience includes financial, regulatory and tax compliance in multiple jurisdictions, as well as funds management and private equity experience. Mr Mitchell was recently CFO, Legal Counsel and Company Secretary for Ironbridge Capital, an Australian-based investment and private equity firm providing funding for domestic and international businesses. At Ironbridge, his role included managing the structuring, implementation and monitoring of investments (and divestments) in Australia and New Zealand. 

Julia Yetsenga appointed Global Fund Financial Manager

Mr Mitchell’s appointment as CFO follows the decision by current CFO, Julia Yetsenga, to transition to the role of Global Fund Financial Manager to support the transition of IMF Bentham’s business model to a funds management structure. Ms Yetsenga has made a significant contribution as CFO and IMF Bentham is very pleased she will continue to be involved with the evolution of the business.

US Investment Committee appointment - Mr Peter Ostroff

Mr Peter Ostroff has been appointed to a permanent role on IMF Bentham’s US Investment Committee. Mr Ostroff has over four decades of litigation experience, including more than 30 years as a partner in Sidley Austin LLP's Los Angeles Litigation group.  He served for a number of years as the head of Sidley's west coast litigation practice, as co-chair of the firm's Complex Commercial Litigation practice and a member of the firm's governing Executive Committee.  His legal achievements have been recognised in the 2011-2015 editions of The Best Lawyers in America in Bet-The-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property, and Litigation – Labor and Employment and in the 2014-2015 editions for Entertainment Law– Music.  In addition, Mr Ostroff was recognised as a Litigation Star in the 2013 and 2014 editions of Benchmark Litigation.

Mr Ostroff is the second non-employee member of the US Investment Committee following the appointment of Judge Vaughan Walker in October 2016. IMF Bentham’s Australian Investment Committee also includes a non-employee member, Mr. John Sulan QC, a former Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia.

ABOUT IMF BENTHAM

IMF Bentham is one of the leading global litigation funders, headquartered in Australia and with offices in the US, Singapore, Canada, Hong Kong and the UK. IMF Bentham has built its reputation as a trusted provider of innovative litigation funding solutions and has established an increasingly diverse portfolio of litigation funding assets.

IMF Bentham has a highly experienced litigation funding team overseeing its investments. IMF Bentham has a 90% success rate over 175 completed investments and has recovered over A$1.4 billion for clients since 2001. 

For further information regarding IMF Bentham and its activities, please visit www.imf.com.au or www.imf.sg.