Caroline Connellan to join Highvern and Permian as Group CEO

December 10, 2025

Permian and Highvern, together with Jacobs Capital, announce the appointment of Caroline Connellan as Group Chief Executive Officer, effective 5 January 2026.


The appointment marks an important step for the combined Group, with two established and complementary businesses, as it focuses on differentiating its offering through service quality, technology and long-term client relationships. Backed by Jacobs Capital’s long-term investment, it reflects the Group’s ongoing commitment to growth as a leading international provider of fund services and private capital solutions.


Caroline succeeds Martin Hall, co-founder and CEO of Highvern for the past nine years and currently CEO of the combined Group. Martin will transition to the role of Executive Chairman, effective 5 January 2026. Based in London, Caroline brings more than 25 years of financial services experience and has held a number of prominent leadership positions including CEO of M&G Wealth, and CEO and Executive Director of Brooks Macdonald Group plc. She has a proven track record of leading and growing wealth and asset management businesses, while driving technological transformations in regulated environments, all with a strong client focus.


Caroline has also made significant contributions to the broader sector and is recognised as an industry voice, having served as a Board Director of The Investment Association and as a member of HM Treasury’s Asset Management Taskforce. Her appointment reflects the Group’s commitment to strengthening its leadership as it continues to build scale, expand into key markets and deliver long-term value for clients.


Martin Hall, current Group CEO, said: “After nine years as co-founder and CEO of Highvern, this is the right moment for me to move into a new role within the Group. I’m incredibly proud of how far the business has come - driven by the talent of our people and the quality of our client relationships. As we grow Highvern and Permian together, the Group is entering an exciting new chapter, and Caroline’s experience and leadership make her exceptionally well-placed to guide the organisation forward.”


Caroline Connellan, incoming Group CEO, commented: “I’m delighted to be joining Highvern and Permian at such an important time, as the Group looks to differentiate its offering and expand its reach. Highvern and Permian are both leaders in their respective markets, with strong track records of delivering outstanding service and value for clients across multiple jurisdictions. The opportunity now is to build on that success, continuing to invest in our people and technological innovation to meet the evolving needs of clients and to drive future growth. I look forward to working with colleagues across the Group to achieve this.”


Johan Pettersson, Head of Business Services at Jacobs Capital, added: “Caroline’s significant experience in driving digital transformations of businesses in regulated environments, her client focus, and leadership strengths align closely with our long-term vision for the Group. We are confident that under her direction, Highvern and Permian will continue to grow, innovate and deliver exceptional service that meets the increasingly complex needs of clients, while expanding both in existing jurisdictions and into strategically important new markets.”


Operating across eight jurisdictions - the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Ireland, Jersey, Norway, South Africa, Sweden and the UK- with over 300 colleagues and $45 billion in assets under administration, the Group supports asset managers, private capital sponsors, family offices, and institutional clients through a connected, multi-jurisdictional platform.

Permian's new office at Jakobsbergsgatan 17.
December 9, 2025
To support Permian’s continued growth, its expanding Nordic client base, and its long-term commitment to providing best-in-class fund services, the company has relocated from Vasagatan 36 to new offices at Jakobsbergsgatan 17 in the Mood District. The new premises at Jakobsbergsgatan offer a modern and flexible workplace that accommodates Permian’s nearly 70 employees in Sweden. The office features expanded meeting facilities, improved collaboration areas, and increased workstation capacity to support the company’s continuously growing team and cross-border operations. “Alongside our mission to deliver high-quality services to our clients, our new office gives us room to scale and welcomes focused work as well as innovative and meaningful conversations with partners, clients, and colleagues. A huge thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey so far,” says Johanna Bjenne , Country Head, Sweden. The new office is fully operational. Updated contact details are available on Permian's website under "Contact".
November 19, 2025
As the global fund landscape evolves, cross-jurisdiction collaboration is becoming essential. For the newly combined Highvern and Permian group, that momentum begins with Ireland and the Nordics, where teams are already working together to strengthen onshore fund services and deliver seamless, client-focused solutions across eight jurisdictions: Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Jersey, Guernsey, the UK, South Africa, and the Cayman Islands. Country Heads Emma Keane (Ireland), Johanna Bjenne (Sweden), and Susanne Berge-Hansen (Norway) share insights on how the unified group – now over 300 colleagues with $45bn in assets under administration – is creating value for clients through integrated expertise and a connected, multi-jurisdictional platform. Strength across borders Emma Keane (EK): What makes clients look outside Sweden or Norway when setting up structures in other jurisdictions? Johanna Bjenne (JB): For Swedish managers, it’s a mix of access to capital, tax considerations and investor comfort. Many institutional investors are used to Ireland or Luxembourg structures, so being able to offer that option through the same group helps facilitate a seamless solution. It’s not just a tax discussion anymore - it’s about investor confidence, reputation, and long-term visibility. Susanne Berge Hansen (SBH): It’s similar in Norway. Managers want stability and regulatory consistency. By working closely with our Irish colleagues, we can compare and combine options to find the best fit for each client. The fact that this can now happen within the same organisation makes a big difference - it’s faster, simpler, and built on shared trust. EK: Clients increasingly expect that continuity. Having Ireland, Sweden, and Norway as well as our offshore offering in Jersey, Guernsey and Cayman under one group allows us to offer local presence and international reach in a single connected network of expertise. Enhancing expertise & innovation EK: We’ve already seen teams working more closely together since the integration. How is that translating into client opportunities right now? SBH: It’s already changing how we think. For example, Highvern’s Irish team has deep experience in areas like debt and private credit, while our Nordic clients are exploring those same asset classes. We can now bring that knowledge straight into client discussions, rather than learning from scratch. JB: Yes and on our side, we’re supporting more clients who want digital access and data visibility. As part of a larger group with shared technology development, we’re now able to offer those tools faster. It’s a real, practical benefit that’s happening today. EK: And it’s two-way. We’re learning from the Nordic teams’ approach to client engagement -that mix of precision and partnership. You can already feel that shared energy across our teams. Having recently been successful on a pitch, referred from our Permian colleagues, for a Swedish manager looking to launch an Irish ICAV for their royalties’ fund, demonstrating not only the further jurisdictional reach but also the depth of expertise between both teams, the client was able to feel the benefit from the outset of the relationship. JB: At Permian, our values - caring, precise, and challenging - are really lived day to day. Joining a bigger group always raises questions about culture. How do you see that playing out? SBH: The key is that our values align. Highvern’s focus on quality, integrity, and client service mirrors what we’ve built at Permian. That means collaboration feels natural, you could see how quickly people connected - same mindset, just different accents! EK: That’s so true. The offsite really confirmed how strong that alignment is. Everyone’s ambitious but grounded, and that balance is what will help us scale without losing who we are. Impact for clients EK: Looking at the market today, what are the biggest topics your clients are focused on? JB: There’s a lot of attention on AIFMD II and ESG reporting. Clients want administrators who can not only comply but also help interpret what’s coming. Having a bigger, connected group means we can share insights and act faster when new regulation lands. SBH: Governance and data transparency are also high on the agenda. Clients expect partners who can combine strong regulatory understanding with modern digital delivery - and that’s exactly where we’re investing together as a group. EK: We’ve become one group with a shared purpose, and clients are already seeing the benefits - broader expertise, deeper resources, and a network that connects Ireland, the Nordics, and beyond. Not only does this extend to our Highvern and Permian colleagues, but also our strong network of intermediary relationships in each jurisdiction to help meet our clients needs. JB: It’s an exciting time. We’re not talking about a distant future - the collaboration is happening now, and it’s energising our teams and clients alike. You can feel the momentum. With a shared purpose and connected teams, we are already delivering enhanced onshore fund expertise, deeper resources, and seamless solutions for our clients – today and into the future.
November 6, 2025
As ESG regulation becomes a central part of the investment ecosystem, fund administrators take on a broader role. Agata Bremer, ESG Director at Permian, reflects on how this development builds on the existing strengths of fund administration — why administrators are uniquely positioned to deliver ESG services, and what it takes to adapt.
October 27, 2025
Meet Eleona Skreosen, Fund Administrator at Permian. With a background in Sustainable Finance and experience across hedge funds and health tech, she shares what drew her to Permian — and what makes her work here exciting
September 24, 2025
Jannike Ludvigsson, Senior ESG Advisor at Permian, answers key questions about the European Supervisory Authorities’ (ESAs) latest update on Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).
August 18, 2025
Several interesting publications from public authorities regarding the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation EU 2019/2088 (SFDR) and linked sustainability regulations have been made during June and July 2025. Our main takeaways for Swedish and Norwegian AIFMs are listed below.
August 12, 2025
On 25 June, the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority (the “NFSA”) published a report on Norwegian asset manager’s compliance with the SFDR.
July 4, 2025
Dear clients, business partners and colleagues, As the long, sunny days of summer arrive, we extend our warmest wishes for a refreshing and enjoyable holiday season. In the past six months we have strengthened our team with talented new colleagues and sustained strong growth across our core services. We also joined forces with Highvern , broadening and deepening the support we provide and we are now present across seven jurisdictions. We are now using Allvue as our main fund administration platform. With Allvue in place, we have a highly efficient and secure IT solution in place, handling everything from accounting to all elements of fund administration, as well as allowing integrations to other systems through open APIs. Allvue also offers a professional Investor Portal that enables seamless investor reporting, performance tracking and enhances investor interaction through interactive dashboards. With the solid backbone in place, Allvue will strengthen the overall quality of our service, fully aligned with our commitment to delivering “Everything Correct” . We have also reinforced our ESG commitment by developing tailored ESG services specifically designed to support and offload AIF managers. These milestones reflect our dedication to tech innovation, operational excellence, our ESG ambitions, and above all your success. We are already energized by the progress we have made so far this year and are eager to pick up where we left off once the break is over. Until then, thank you for your trust and collaboration. From all of us at Permian, have a wonderful, restful and sun-filled summer holiday!
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At Permian, we believe that sustainability is more than just a regulatory requirement—it’s an essential part of creating long-term value to investors in the private equity markets. As the ESG landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, we’re committed to being a trusted partner for AIF managers navigating this complex terrain. The introduction of regulations such as the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and the EU Taxonomy has brought both challenges and opportunities for fund managers. Understanding the requirements, aligning with investor expectations, and integrating ESG into operations can feel overwhelming and time consuming. That’s why we’re developing tailored ESG services specifically designed to support and offload AIF managers in their journey toward compliance and sustainable growth. Services that are a natural extension of Permian’s long-standing values: Precise, Challenging, and Caring. “At the heart of our commitment is a focus on finding and building the best, most efficient solutions to support the ESG journey of AIF managers. We understand the complexities fund managers face and are dedicated to making the process as easy and seamless as possible,” says Agata Bremer, Head of ESG at Permian. By leveraging innovative and effective tools, streamlined processes, and expert guidance, we aim to reduce the efforts and any burden of compliance and create clarity in an otherwise complex regulatory landscape. Our approach is hands-on, operative and collaborative. Through ongoing dialogues with clients, including workshops and one-on-one support, we aim to uncover pain points and identify practical solutions. Whether it’s simplifying ESG reporting, aligning investment strategies with sustainability goals, or addressing regulatory obligations, our goal is to provide actionable guidance that truly makes a difference.  We’re excited about the opportunities ahead and look forward to helping AIF managers turn handling of sustainability from a challenge into a competitive advantage. Together, we can create lasting impact for businesses, investors, and the environment.
May 27, 2025
The Digital Operational Resilience Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/2554), commonly known as DORA, aims to address the growing reliance on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the financial sector and mitigating its associated risks. As of January 17 2025, DORA is applicable in the EU. Throughout autumn of 2024, Swedish Alternative Investment Fund Managers (“AIFMs”) subject to DORA have made substantial progress in implementing and ensuring compliance with the regulation. Effective DORA implementations have started with the formation of a cross-functional project group and conducting a gap analysis to align existing frameworks with DORA requirements. Key components include establishing an ICT risk management framework, implementing incident response procedures, and managing ICT third-party risks through updated contracts and a comprehensive register of information. Compliance systems have enabled Swedish AIFMs to optimize data handling and maintain technical accuracy. Norway’s legislative proposal for DORA was adopted on 20 May 2025, and the Dora Act expected to enter into force between summer of 2025 and January 2026. The first mandatory reports are anticipated in early 2026. Given DORA’s extensive requirements, Norwegian AIFMs should initiate preparations now to ensure timely compliance. At Permian, we have actively advised and consulted Swedish AIFMs throughout this process, gaining valuable insights into the practical steps for successful DORA compliance. In the full article, we outline the key considerations and actions Norwegian AIFMs should take as they prepare for the upcoming implementation of DORA in Norway. For access to the full article, please click here. Update: The DORA Act in Norway will enter into force on July 1, 2025.
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