Jupiter has confirmed that chief investment officer Stephen Pearson is leaving the business after more than two decades with the firm.
Pearson is retiring after a career spanning more than 35 years in fund management. Jupiter said in a statement he will remain with the company until “well into 2022” and it is in the advanced stages of hiring his successor.
During his time with the firm, Pearson has created the CIO role and grown the department by incorporating the dealing, portfolio analytics and data science operations, as well as broadening the range of Jupiter’s investment strategies.
He was also instrumental in the company’s acquisition of Merian Global Investors last year which saw the integration of 40 investment professionals and a raft of new strategies into the Jupiter range.
Jupiter chief executive Andrew Formica said Pearson’s contribution to the company “cannot be overstated”.
“His strong leadership, relentless commitment to clients and clear vision has seen Jupiter’s fund management team through the most challenging of market conditions and situations, not least of which has been the recent impact of the global pandemic,” he added.
“His commitment to retaining and nurturing talented individuals across our investment floor has been a huge contributor to the dynamic, active investment culture on which we pride ourselves at Jupiter.
“I would like to sincerely thank Stephen for his support in ensuring this orderly transition and look forward to sharing news of his successor in due course.”
Pearson said it felt like the right time to step back devote more time to his “growing portfolio of interests outside the industry”.
“We have achieved a lot in the 12 years I have been involved in the management of our teams, broadening our investment capabilities into new asset classes and extending our client reach beyond the UK,” he added. “With the integration of Merian now complete and the managers settled on the new platform and brand, it is right for new leadership in fund management to take our teams forward on the next stage of the journey.”
