Evenlode has appointed Rob Harris as its CEO from 7 May, subject to FCA approval.
Harris, who has been an independent non-executive director at Evenlode since May last year, co-founded Majedie Asset Management and was its CEO until 2022. Following Liontrust’s purchase of Majedie, Harris became the head of Liontrust’s global institutional business.
Co-founder of Evenlode and current CEO Hugh Yarrow will become executive chair of the company and will remain lead manager on the firm’s £3.5bn Evenlode Income strategy.
The hire comes in a bid to bolster the company’s senior management team, and in turn allow the portfolio management teams to focus on running portfolios and building client relationships.
See also: Majedie acquisition weighs heavily on Liontrust pre-tax profits
Prior to founding Majedie, Harris worked at Mercury Asset Management from 1993. The firm was purchased by Merrill Lynch (now owned by BlackRock) in 1997. Harris left Merrill Lynch to co-found Majedie alongside James de Uphaugh five years later.
Evenlode’s Yarrow said: “I have really enjoyed working with Rob over the last year in his non-executive role. He is a great cultural fit for Evenlode and brings a wealth of experience and industry knowledge to the company.
“Rob’s appointment as CEO is an incremental step. Evenlode remains committed both to its fully independent employee-ownership model, and its strategy of delivering a high-quality and consistent investment service to clients over the very long term.”
Harris, added that he is “delighted to be able to bring [his] experience and perspective to the role of CEO”.
“Evenlode is a very special investment firm that continues to evolve and grow. Established as a respected active manager in UK and global equities, we will continue to deepen our client relationships and footprint in UK, European and cross-border institutional markets.”