Investec Asset Management is hunting for a new head of UK retail following a business review that saw Charlie Wilson leave the firm.
Mr Wilson, who had been head of UK retail from 2010 until the end of 2013, had most recently been a sales director in London and a co-ordinator of Investec’s sales approach to global financial institutions.
But a review by the company found the co-ordinator role was surplus to requirements meaning Mr Wilson was made redundant. The responsibility for this role has now been split between Investec’s five regional managing directors.
David Aird, Investec Asset Management UK managing director, has taken on Mr Wilson’s London sales clients on an interim basis, having also taken over direct responsibility for the UK retail business from Mr Wilson at the end of 2013.
But he said the firm was currently in the early stages of searching for a new head of UK retail.
Mr Aird said the recent changes to Investec’s fund range required its adviser sales business to be “running like a Swiss watch”, so a dedicated retail head was needed.
He pointed to recently-hired UK managers Simon Brazier and Blake Hutchins and a planned retail push for Michael Spinks’ Investec Diversified Growth fund as being among the areas the UK retail business would be re-focusing on.
