Leela Fair, Managing Director, General Counsel EMEA

Leela Fair has grown with Cleveland & Co and quickly proven her capabilities becoming the Managing Director, EMEA in early 2022. She oversees business development, client relationships, and all staff needs as well as supporting the CEO on the day to day working of the business.  

Leela has risen to senior management very quickly through her drive and invaluable experience in financial services. Leela’s experience covers: private equity; UK regulated funds; regulation, and includes advising and assisting a range of services providers within the asset management industry including investment managers, investment advisors, administrators, brokers, custodians, introducers, regulatory platforms, pension funds and placement agents.

Leela is a determined and ambitious professional who is adept at working in varied and fast paced environments. Leela’s motivation, versatility and unflappable attitude, make her a highly valued member of the Cleveland & Co team. When she’s not inspiring us running the day to day at Cleveland & Co, you can find Leela reading through a cookbook and planning the weekend menu!

Expertise

Leela has developed a variety of skills namely in relation to:

  • ACD Arrangements
  • Administration
  • AIFs
  • Appointed Representative Arrangements
  • Authorised funds (ACS, AUT, ICVC, UCITS and NURS)
  • Broker Agreements
  • CISs
  • Commercial Contracts
  • Custody
  • Distribution
  • EIS/SEIS
  • Hedge Funds
  • HR & Employment
  • Institutional
  • Intra-group Agreements
  • Introducer Arrangements
  • Listed Investment Companies
  • Pooled Pension Funds
  • Private Equity
  • Real Estate
  • Regulation (AIFMD, Consumer Duty, ILPA, PLSA, SDR, SFDR)
  • Service Agreements
  • Sponsorship Arrangements

Experience

  • Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Limited: supporting over £6bn invested in global private market funds (traditional private equity, infrastructure, credit and climate opportunities) through management of the legal review, side letter negotiation and MFN processes.
  • Hedge fund manager: preparation of marketing documents, negotiation of all legal documents entered into between service providers and the AIFM, and liaising with Cayman and US counsel in relation to the launch of their Cayman fund.
  • Investment Association – reviewing member guidance, advising on regulatory issues such as MiFID II, Benchmark Regulations and the Market Abuse Regulations, and assisting with the launch of the IA’s Engine FinTech Accelerator.
  • Macquarie Asset Management: preparing SFDR RTS disclosures and website disclosures for Article 8 and 9 funds.
  • Mainspring: managing all custody agreement negotiations with their EIS/SEIS and private equity clients.
  • Managed Portfolio services provider: advising and preparing fund documents for their first UK umbrella UCITS fund launch.

Professional Appointments/Memberships

  • Association of Women Solicitors
  • Mentor, Amos Bursary Programme

Qualifications

  • Qualified as a Solicitor in England & Wales
  • The Professional Skills Courses (Kaplan Altior, London)
  • Litigation Programme (Kaplan Altior, London)
  • Legal Practice Course (BPP Law School, London)
  • Bachelor of Laws (King’s College University, London)

Languages

  • English
  • French
  • Conversational Italian

Leela Fair has grown with Cleveland & Co and quickly proven her capabilities becoming the Acting Managing Director of our UK office in early 2021. She oversees business development, client relationships, and all staff needs as well as supports the CEO on the day to day working of the business.  

Leela has risen to senior management very quickly through her drive and invaluable experience in financial service. Leela’s experience covers private equity, traditional fund, and hedge fund sectors and includes advising and assisting a range of services providers within the asset management industry including investment managers, investment advisors, administrators, brokers, custodians, introducers, regulatory platforms, pension funds and placement agents.

Leela is a determined and ambitious professional who is adept at working in varied and fast paced environments. Leela’s motivation, versatility and unflappable attitude, make her a highly valued member of the Cleveland & Co team. When she’s not inspiring us running the day to day at Cleveland & Co, you can find Leela reading through a cookbook and planning the weekend menu!

Expertise

  • Leela has developed a variety of skills namely in relation to:
    • ACD Arrangements
    • Administration
    • AIFs
    • Appointed Representative Arrangements
    • Authorised funds (ACS, AUT, ICVC, UCITS and NURS)
    • Broker Agreements
    • CISs
    • Commercial Contracts
    • Custody
    • Distribution
    • EIS/SEIS
    • Hedge Funds
    • HR & Employment
    • Institutional
    • Intra-group Agreements
    • Introducer Arrangements
    • Listed Investment Companies
    • Pooled Pension Funds
    • Private Equity
    • Real Estate
    • Regulation, including: Capital Adequacy, Competition Law, FCA Rules & Guidance, GDPR, MiFID II, Prudential Requirements, SM&CR.
    • Research Payments
    • Service Agreements
    • Sponsorship Arrangements

    Qualified in England & Wales

Experience

  • Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Limited: reviewing all documentation related to prospective investments (private equity, infrastructure, private debt, alternatives), managing side letter and MFN processes.
  • Capital Group: carrying out an impact assessment, advising and updating legal documentation for MiFID II.
  • Commodities World Capital: preparation of marketing documents, negotiation of all legal documents entered into between service providers and the AIFM, and liaising with Cayman and US counsel in relation to the launch of their Cayman fund.
  • Fullerton –creating a global travelling portfolio policy and an assessment report advising on the impact of Capital Adequacy Requirements.
  • Hambro Perks: reviewing investment documents for EIS/SEIS investments.
  • Investment Association – reviewing member guidance, advising on regulatory issues such as MiFID II, Benchmark Regulations and the Market Abuse Regulations, and assisting with the launch of the IA’s Velocity FinTech Accelerator.
  • J Stern: carrying out an impact assessment on research arrangements, advising and updating legal documentation for MiFID II and GDPR.
  • Kin Capital: assisting with reviewing and updating appointed representative agreements, custodian terms of business and subscription and shareholder’s agreements.
  • Mainspring: managing all custody agreement negotiations with their EIS/SEIS and private equity clients.

Professional Appointments/Memberships

  • Association of Women Solicitors
  • Mentor, Amos Bursary Programme

Qualifications

  • The Professional Skills Courses (Kaplan Altior, London)
  • Litigation Programme (Kaplan Altior, London)
  • Legal Practice Course (BPP Law School, London)
  • Bachelor’s degree in Law (King’s College University, London)

Languages

  • English
  • French
  • Conversational Italian