Our Team
Andrew Raenden
Fund Manager
ANDREW RAENDEN MBA, CFP Andrew is a principal and director of Avant-Garde. He is also a registered director with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Previously, he was a General Manager for EFG Bank’s Lyford Cay office and acted as a private banker for a significant book of clients. During this time, Andrew developed a foreign exchange cash management strategy to service high net worth families who wanted access to multiple currencies with significant success in the region. Prior to EFG he was a Managing Director of RBC’s Bahamas office and was responsible for the strategic direction and operation of that office.
EDUCATION
•Master of Business Administration, University of Quebec, 2000
•Certified Financial Planner, 2000
•Bachelor of Arts – Carleton University, 1987
•Canadian Securities Course – Canadian Securities Institute, 1987
Gal Anziska
Fund Manager
GAL ANZISKA CFA, CAIA Gal joined Avant-Garde in January 2016 as a Fund Manager and works exclusively for Avant-Garde to service its clients including the Avant Garde suite of funds. Prior to joining Avant-Garde, Gal was part of a team of private bankers with EFG Bank Bahamas as investment manager where he offered discretionary and advisory solutions to high net worth families and funds, including Avant-Garde. Prior to that, Gal joined the Cayman branch of EFG Bank in 2008 and was the head trader specializing in investment management and trading.
EDUCATION
•Chartered Financial Analyst - CFA Institute, 2013
•Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst – CAIA Association, 2010
•Honours in Finance (majors in Finance & Economics) – University of Cape Town, 2006
Flavia Abu-Kessm
Investor Relationship Officer
FLAVIA ABU-KESSM joined Avant-Garde in March 2016 as an Investor Relationship Officer and works exclusively for Avant-Garde to service its clients including the Avant Garde suite of funds. Flavia has 18 years experience in Wealth Management, beginning her career at Wachovia Securities in São Paulo, Brazil in 2004 where she was a client service officer for four years. She later moved to Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands where she still resides to work with RBC Dominion Securities Global Limited (Wealth Management) for another four years. Following that she moved to EFG Bank as an account officer and trader. It is here where she met and began working with Andrew and Gal in the Avant-Garde team servicing high net worth clients.
EDUCATION
•Bachelor in Business Administration - Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado
•Derivatives Fundamental Course - Canadian Securities Institute
•General Securities Representative Examination - Series 7