Union Bancaire Privée, the Swiss private bank and alternatives investment manager, has become the second hedge fund in as many days to hire a senior investment specialist from a consultancy firm.

Gideon Nieuwoudt, formerly senior investment consultant at consultancy Watson Wyatt, will join Union Bancaire Privée London in April as deputy head of alternative investment research. His hire follows hedge fund Thames River Capital's recruitment yesterday of Bill Muysken, senior consultant at Mercer Investment Consulting.