London-based asset management firm Channel Capital Advisors has hired two trade finance (TF) professionals to build out its TF credit product investment business to non-bank investors.

Senior investor Kenneth Owen and trade receivables programme specialist Dan Luther join the company, which originates TF investments whilst providing risk oversight, operational support and monitoring services.

Owen joins as portfolio manager of the firm’s trade finance fund, reporting to chief investment officer and senior partner at Channel, Charles Colbourne.

Luther will manage the firm’s new Luxembourg-based trade receivables programme. He joins from Dutch commodity trader Trafigura, where he was global corporate funding manager, supporting its receivables financing platform since 2005. Luther will report to COO at Channel, Deborah Hutchinson.

“We are very pleased to recruit two talented individuals like Ken and Dan to Channel to assist us in our expansion in the TF asset class,” CEO at Channel, Walter Gontarek, tells GTR.

Gontarek tells GTR that Channel’s TF offering will specifically include short-dated pre and post-shipment export loans and trade receivables related to the physical cross-border flow of goods. Channel’s strategy will hinge on exposure to a diversified pool of TF assets, and Gontarek anticipates a high level of demand from non-bank investors, including insurance companies and pension plans.

“The asset class is increasingly being sought after by our investors as a means to diversify existing investment strategies,” Gontarek tells GTR.