La Trobe boosts senior ranks with high-profile hires

La Trobe Financial has poached CBA alum and wealth industry veteran David Tagg to serve as head of investments, with the alternatives specialist signalling more senior hires to come.

Tagg boasts more than 30 years in the wealth sector, including his most recent role as CBA’s head of investments and research, a role he held for more than six years, where he oversaw in-house Australian equities management and fund manager partners.

He was formerly the CBA Private Bank’s head of wholesale investments and chief investment officer.

Tagg is joined by La Trobe’s newly appointed head of product support, Catherine Donatiello.

Donatiello was previously Macquarie Group’s associate director of product and projects, overseeing product management operations for the group’s wrap platform. She served more than 18 years under the Macquarie group fold.

La Trobe said the new hires “form part of a broader strategic initiative for the firm aimed at deepening its executive capability”.

Chief investment officer Chris Paton welcomed the appointment of Tagg and Donatiello, noting they “add to the scale and experience of our already highly respected executive group and position us strongly for the next phase of our growth”.

La Trobe boasts a team of 540, with 80 people part of its asset management division. With the launch of its US Private Credit Fund (as part of its La Trobe Global Asset Management strategy) mid-last year, the firm also welcomed seven new employees in FY24 to support its growth strategy.

The firm, headquartered in Melbourne, currently oversees more than $20 billion in assets under management (AUM), including its flagship Australian Credit Fund, the largest retail credit fund in Australia with $13 billion in AUM.

La Trobe flagged that several additional senior appointments will be announced in coming weeks as the firm “continues its trajectory of sustained growth and expanded investment offerings”.