Gareth Simmons joined the company in 2011 and is currently a portfolio manager and investment analyst in the European High Yield Bond Team. His portfolio management responsibilities include the management of an enhanced ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) high yield strategy. As a senior investment analyst he also has specific responsibility for the telecom, media and technology (TMT) sectors. Prior to joining the company, Gareth was a sell-side TMT credit analyst at Morgan Stanley. Gareth has a BSc (Hons) in Natural Sciences from the University of Durham and he also holds the Investment Management Certificate.

Roman Gaiser is the Head of Portfolio Management, High Yield, EMEA having re-joined Columbia Threadneedle Investments in 2018. Based in London, Roman is responsible for the performance of Columbia Threadneedle’s European high yield portfolios. He has over 20 years of experience of European corporate credit and more than 18 years of experience in running European high yield portfolios. Roman worked at the company before as a high yield portfolio manager between 2005 and 2011. Since 2011. he was Head of High Yield at Pictet Asset Management, in charge of its European high yield and European short-term high yield bond strategies. Previously, he has worked as a portfolio manager at F&C in London and as an analyst for Bankgesellschaft in Berlin.

Barrie Whitman joined the company in 1999 and is currently Head of Corporate Credit, EMEA, with responsibility for our high yield and investment grade fixed income teams in London. He manages the Threadneedle High Yield Bond, European High Yield Bond and Strategic Bond Funds as well as a number of institutional mandates. He is also co-manager of the Threadneedle Credit Opportunities Fund.Barrie began his investment career in 1987 at United Bank of Kuwait as a credit analyst specialising in high yield bond investment. In 1990 he became a high yield fund manager and, in 1996, CIO for High Yield Investments. He then moved to Standard Bank London in 1997 as Head of European High Yield and Distressed Debt.Barrie graduated in 1982 with a BSc in Economics and Accounting from Hull University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1986. He is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accounts in England and Wales.