Chief Executive Officer and Partner

Richard joined Evolution Financial Group in 2005 and works closely with Michael Lerch in managing the firm. Since joining Evolution, Richard has been integrally involved in all facets of Evolution’s business and has spearheaded Evolution’s private equity transactions in Japan.

Richard is responsible for all legal matters globally and is also involved in the general management of our business lines. Richard serves on Evolution’s Global Investment, Risk and Compliance committees. Prior to joining Evolution, Richard spent nearly a decade as “outside general counsel” to investment funds and private and public companies both domestically in the U.S. as well as in Asia, with particular emphasis on securities, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance. Richard graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in Political Science and the University of California, Hastings School of Law with a JD, cum laude, where he was a member of the Hastings Law Review.

Group Chief Financial Officer, Partner

Adrian has been a part of the senior management team of the Evolution Group for more than eighteen years. In his current role he has global oversight of the Finance and Operations groups around the world. Prior to joining Evolution he spent thirteen years in Japan where he held senior management positions in the equity derivatives business units of several international banks such as JPMorgan, C.I.B.C. and T.D. Group. Adrian graduated from Sheffield University with a First Class BA (Hons) in Economics & Japanese Studies.

Funds Chief Operations Officer, Director of Operations, Evo Capital Management Europe Ltd.

Ms. Yamamoto has over 28 years of experience in the financial industry specializing in operations and product control functions. Her previous experiences were gained at Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, Banc of America Securities, Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley. Under her oversight, Evolution’s control of operations has been elevated to highly competitive industry standards. Ms. Yamamoto graduated with a BA in Computer Science from Fordham University.

Chief Risk Officer Evolution Financial Group.

As Chief Risk Officer of the Evolution Financial Group, Philippe brings a focus on risk management to the core of each investment model and decision, in line with the philosophy of the firm since its inception. Under his supervision, Evolution has developed numerous trading strategies across Asian markets and asset classes while developing best-in-class risk management systems and procedures. Philippe joined Evolution in 2002, and through his postings in several of the Evolution locations, in Honolulu, Tokyo and Hong Kong, he has ensured that the investment philosophy of the firm stays the same across all offices. Prior to joining Evolution, Philippe spent several years in Equity and Equity Derivatives Trading and Risk Management divisions of Credit Agricole Indosuez in Hong Kong and Tokyo. Philippe graduated in 1996 from Telecom Paris Tech.

Shaun is a Japan veteran for more than 40 years, with 30 years in finance. He is in the senior management of several of the Evolution’s companies, and previously headed our investment advisory company, Evolution Japan Advisors. Shaun was responsible for Japan prime brokerage sales and managed the Asian client connectivity business of Merrill Lynch Japan Securities, and has also been associated with hedge funds as general manager and financial analyst for onshore fund servicing companies. Shaun’s past finance roles have spanned alternative investment consulting, compliance, front-office technology development, portfolio and structured product quantitative analysis, equity program trading, and business management at Credit Suisse First Boston, Lehman Brothers Japan, NASDAQ Japan, and others. Before entering finance, he was a neural network researcher at Recruit Co. Ltd.’s Institute for Supercomputing Research, and is a graduate of International Christian University in Tokyo, with a B.A. in Social Science.

Representative Director, Evolution Research Institute Co., Ltd.
Director, Evolution Japan Securities Co., Ltd.

Kazuko Miyashita has been one of our directors since June 2016. Ms. Miyashita has substantial experience in finance and organizational management. With her considerable expertise in corporate finance, securities transactions, and management, she has served as the head of finance of numerous Evolution related business. These include Evolution Japan Asset Management Co. Ltd. as the head of Finance and Administration, Director and Representative Director between 2014 and August 2023, eWarrant Japan Securities K.K., a former Evolution portfolio company, as the head of finance from 2012 to 2018, while she also serves as the regional head of finance in Japan. Ms. Miyashita joined Evolution in 2007 at Evolution Japan Advisors K.K.. Prior to joining Evolution, Ms. Miyashita accumulated over a decade of experience in the finance divisions of various private asset managers and international investments banks such as Lehman Brothers and Societe General.  She received a B.A. in History from Keio University.

Senior Managing Director, Evo Associates Ltd.

David joined Evolution Financial Group in 2005 after having successfully led JPMorgan Fleming Tokyo’s Mid-Small Equities investment team managing $5 billion in dedicated assets. A recognized expert on Japan equities, Mr. Scott has made well over 3,000 on-site research visits with listed firms to evaluate business models and investigate investment worthiness during his 20 years of financial markets experience. David leverages these extensive market contacts to generate opportunities for Evolution’s Investment Banking business in Tokyo.

Senior Managing Director, Evo Associates Ltd.

Mr. Fried is currently a Managing Director for EVO Associates Ltd focusing on opportunity creation and structuring. Beginning his career at Evolution Capital Management in 2002, he possesses extensive experience in creating derivative and equity trading desks around the pan-Asian region. He excelled in trading Japanese index derivatives before making the transition in 2004 to running an active Korean Index derivative desk. In 2005 while based in Australia, he built and managed an Australian single stock volatility desk. Between 2006 and 2015, he was responsible for trading and structuring for the structured derivatives and principal transactions business for the pan-Asian region. In 2015, he helped build and manage the Investment Banking business for Evolution Japan Securities. He graduated from Harvard University with an A.B. in Economics.

General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Evolution Capital Management LLC

Jerry has over 20 years of legal and compliance experience with an emphasis on the representation of investment advisers and private funds.  Before joining Evolution, he held senior legal and management positions at various investment advisers including American Realty Advisers and Coast Asset Management, where he served as General Counsel.  He began his legal career as a transactional associate at O’Melveny & Myers LLP and Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP.  He received his J.D. from New York University School of Law, and his B.S. in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.  He is admitted to practice law in the state of California.

Director, Equity Solutions Group, Evolution Japan Securities Co., Ltd.

Mr. Arimitsu is currently a Director for Evolution Japan Securities Co., Ltd. focused on building and managing the Investment Banking business. He joined Evolution in 2006 and has been responsible for various proprietary trading strategies including Long-Short Equity, Event-Driven, and Merger Arbitrage. Prior to joining Evolution, he was head of Program Trading at Lehman Brothers covering Japan and ex-Japan Asia. He graduated from Keio University with a B.A. in Policy Management.