Toronto-based Hillsdale Investment Management has hired Taha Jaffer as director of research responsible for the firm’s global risk management, as well as strategy optimization and portfolio construction.

Jaffer will also serve as a senior member of Hillsdale’s portfolio management team and will contribute his knowledge of option valuation and trading to the management of Hillsdale’s Canadian Market Neutral Equity Fund.

Most recently, Jaffer served as vice president, research and hedge fund investments at US$9.2 billion Northwater Capital Management, where he was involved in hedge fund manager due diligence and led an extensive array of investment research projects.

“Taha’s experience in evaluating and monitoring the investment processes of some of the world’s best hedge fund managers will be invaluable to Hillsdale,” said Chris Guthrie, CEO of Hillsdale.

Hillsdale was founded in 1996 and manages approximately C$500 million (US$500.2 million) in total assets.