Seven Dials, the UK-based property fund manager, has announced the appointment of a team of senior investment professionals as it launches a new suite of funds focussed on the UK market. The fund management firm, founded in 2004, will focus on marketing funds to high net worth clients and modest-sized institutions not currently exposed to the property sector. Directors Mickola Wilson and Darren Fennell have joined the company to develop and market commercial property projects for Seven Dials funds. Ms Wilson, who has worked in the commercial property fund management business for more than 25 years, has held a number of senior posts, most recently that of chief executive of Teesland, a London-listed property fund management firm. She was also managing director of the Guardian Royal Exchange Property Fund Management division. Mr Fennell was most recently the founder and managing director of Orange Properties, a property advisory and investment company he still runs. He has also been a consultant to Teesland. Mr Fennell and Ms Wilson are former colleagues of Seven Dials’ founder, Brett Robinson. They worked together at Guardian Royal Exchange. In its statement, Seven Dials said it will be prepared to launch a range of new direct funds based on smaller portfolios of UK property. The new funds will be targeted at the high net worth investor wishing to gain access to property at a time when values have been hit by the credit crunch, with the aim of profiting from any eventual rebound. Seven Dials currently operates funds including the Seven Dials European Commercial Fund, a portfolio of sub-funds with €27 million ($42.9 million) of assets under management.