Rize ETF, a European specialist thematic ETF issuer, has appointed James Thomas as head of the UK, Ireland and Channel Islands.

Mr Thomas was previously at State Street Global Advisors where he worked within the UK SPDR ETF team focusing on wealth managers, private banks and family offices.

Prior to that, he was part of the sales strategy team at J.P. Morgan Asset Management. In his new role, Mr Thomas will report directly to the co-founders of Rize ETF.

Launched in 2019, all of the company’s funds seek to invest in megatrends that are rapidly transforming our world. The company’s suite of funds now stands at six in total, investing across areas such as cybersecurity, medical cannabis, food sustainability and digital learning. In 2021, the company added two new funds to its stable focused on environmental impact and digital payments.

The Rize Environmental Impact 100 UCITS ETF and the Rize Digital Payments Economy UCITS ETF launched in July and November, respectively.

Rahul Bhushan, co-founder and director at Rize ETF commented: “We have grown at a very healthy pace since we launched our first thematic ETFs in 2020. Interest in our thematic strategies has swelled in the last year, and as we move into our next stage of growth, James brings a great deal of valuable experience across the ETF landscape which will help expedite our growth in our local market.”

The company’s AUM currently stands at $483 million.