Russell Investments has added new specialist resources in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Joining Russell’s Sydney office is Samantha Steele, who has been hired as a senior research analyst focused on real estate and private equity manager research in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Steele has a decade of experience working in the U.K. and European property markets, most recently with European asset manager KBC Asset Management (KBCAM), and her hire follows the appointment of Nicole Connolly earlier this year as head of alternatives advice, Australia.

In Russell’s London office, Tom Richardson, who joins Russell from Cushman & Wakefield Investors, has been appointed as a research analyst on the Private Real Estate team. His primary role will be researching and ranking European real estate funds.

Three new North America-based alternative investing specialists charged with global manager research assignments have also joined Russell’s manager research group. Cameron McVie has been named senior research analyst, and his responsibilities will center on hedge fund research, and in particular, single strategy credit and event driven mandates. McVie previously worked with BlackRock Alternative Advisors and comes to Russell most recently from Logic 20/20. Brett Deits, who joins Russell from BlackRock Alternative Advisors, will serve as a senior research analyst focused on global private investment fund of funds opportunities, including private equity and real estate. Wade Millen, who last worked at Wurts & Associates, will assume a research analyst role, focusing primarily on assessing global third party fund of hedge funds.

Victor Leverett, managing director of Russell’s global alternative investments team, said Russell is expanding its manager research and consulting advisory services globally as clients build out their alternative investment portfolios.

“Many institutional investors have remained firm in their belief that alternative investments offer real diversification and an opportunity for excess return. Russell is significantly expanding its research capabilities to support existing client investments as well as those clients who plan to initiate or expand their alternative investment programs.”