Threadneedle’s Holliman joins Polar Capital

Threadneedle's Andrew Holliman leaving the firm after seven years to join Polar Capital, Investment Week understands.

Polar Capital is yet to confirm where Holliman will be positioned in the company, but the group is likely to launch a product for him as it does not have a US equity offering at present.

Polar has made several high profile hires in recent months, including AXA Framlington's head of emerging markets William Calvert, who now heads up the Polar Capital Global Emerging Markets fund, launched in October last year.

Tim Woolley, the chief executive of Polar Capital, said he is planning to expand the specialist boutique's product range with the addition of three to four more teams over the next twelve months.Holliman joined Threadneedle in 2004 as manager of the £1.6bn American fund, taking on responsibility for the Global Extended Alpha at launch in July 2008.

Cormac Weldon, Threadneedle's head of US equities, will take over as lead manager of the American fund, assisted by Stephen Moore, while Jeremy Podger will run Global Extended Alpha fund, helped by Steve Thornber.

Under Holliman's tenure, the American fund delivered a top-decile return of 36.2% over five years to 6 May, against the IMA North American sector's 20.4%, according to Morningstar.