Threadneedle has appointed Mark Burgess as its chief investment officer.
He joins Threadneedle in the first quarter of 2011 and will work closely with Sarah Arkle (pictured), Threadneedle’s current chief investment officer, as she hands over her role and responsibilities to him.
Arkle is retiring in 2011 after a City career spanning over 30 years and will become Threadneedle’s vice chairman.
Twenty seven years ago Arkle joined Allied Dunbar Asset Management, one of the two businesses which merged to form Threadneedle. In 1994 she was one of Threadneedle’s founding members and in 2000 was appointed chief investment officer.
Burgess joins Threadneedle from Legal & General Investment Management where he was managing director, head of equities. In that role he was responsible for the business and investment performance of the active equities business. He was previously at Deutsche Asset Management for 12 years, where he progressed through Morgan Grenfell Asset Management to be Deutsche’s managing director, head of UK equity and balanced products.
Crispin Henderson, chief executive of Threadneedle, says: “I am delighted that Mark Burgess has decided to join Threadneedle at what is an exciting time for the company. We now have a world class, international team that has strength in breadth and depth; Mark joins our senior team for the future that now comprises Don Jordison (MD property investments), Campbell Fleming, (head of distribution) Leigh Harrison (head of equities) and John Devine (chief operating officer).”
Arkle adds: “Mark Burgess is an outstanding industry figure. His track record demonstrates that he is totally aligned with Threadneedle’s robust investment philosophy which is predicated on the sharing of knowledge and innovative thinking. We have put a great deal of thought into the balance of the new team and I believe that the appointment of Mark, alongside the complementary skills of Leigh Harrison as head of equities, makes for an investment team that will take Threadneedle into the next phase of its success.”
