Harcourt Investment Consulting, a subsidiary of Zurich-headquartered Vontobel Asset Management, has appointed Jan Viebig and Georg Wessling to expand and strengthen its expertise in alternative investments.

Viebig becomes head of alternative investments, replacing the former chief executive of Harcourt, Stephan Fritz, who is leaving Vontobel. Wessling will be deputy head.

Viebig joins from Credit Suisse, where he was head of emerging market equities. Before that, he was senior hedge fund manager at DWS.

Wessling is currently head of hedge fund advisory at Harcourt. He has been with the firm since 2005 in senior investment roles and heading the advisory business. In his additional role, he will work with Viebig to drive Harcourt's investment and product strategies.