Standard Life Investments has cut fund manager jobs across 15 Ignis equity funds after handing the portfolios to its own managers following its takeover of the group.
Notable exits include UK Equity Income manager Graham Ashby, Global Emerging Markets Equity manager Mark Julio, and Balanced Growth manager Ralph Brook-Fox. Julio has moved to Sarasin & Partners, which today confirmed his appointment in the global thematic equity team.
The shake-up also means the departure of European equities manager Ian Ormiston. In July, Investment Week reported it was unlikely he would move to Standard Life.
A spokesperson said: “There is no requirement for the Ignis equity team to migrate to Standard Life Investments given the level of investment expertise and experience that already exists within Standard Life Investments’ equity team.”
The firm confirmed the equity funds, with assets under management of more than £11bn, were transferred on 26 August.
Standard Life Investments head of equities David Cumming (pictured), said: “Despite the fact that we are only eight weeks into what will be an 18 - 24 month programme, the integration of Ignis is on schedule and progressing extremely well.”
| Fund | Size | Previous manager | New manager |
| Ignis Asia Pacific | £14.2m | Diamond Lee | Will Malcolm |
| Ignis China | £30.6m | Diamond Lee | Magdalene Miller |
| Ignis Global Emerging Markets Equity | £138.8m | Mark Julio | Alistair Way |
| Ignis International Global Equity | £29.3m | James Smith | Mikhail Zverev |
| Ignis North America | £24.1m | Terry Ewing | Jeff Morris |
| Ignis Pan Europe | £19.9m | Jonathan Fearon | Tony Hood |
| Ignis European Smaller Companies | £76.8m | Ian Ormiston | Andrew Paisley |
| Ignis American Growth | £116.1m | Terry Ewing | Jeff Morris |
| Ignis Balanced Growth | £135.5m | Ralph Brook-Fox | Henry Flockhart |
| Ignis Managed Trust | £14.5m | James Smith | Scott Smith |
| Ignis European Growth | £52.6m | Ian Ormiston | Kay Eyre |
| Ignis UK Equity Income | £94.4m | Graham Ashby | Karen Robertson |
| Ignis Global Growth | £37.3m | James Smith | Mikhail Zverev |
| Ignis Pacific Growth | £49.9m | Diamond Lee | William Malcolm |
| Ignis Smaller Companies | £69.8m | David Clark | Caspar Trenchard |
