Rob James has become the latest bond manager from Merian Global Investors to defect to Premier Miton.
James had run the $129.2m Merian Financial Contingent Capital fund since it launched in August 2017. But he was replaced on the mandate by Jupiter financials specialist Luca Evangelisti amid a shake-up of Merian’s product range ahead of its merger with Jupiter.
The move will see James reunite with former Merian colleagues Lloyd Harris (pictured), who co-managed the Merian Financial Contingent Capital fund alongside him and the £439.25m Merian Corporate Bond fund, as well as Simon Prior and Przemyslaw Pietraszek who jumped ship from Jupiter in late June.
Harris will head Premier Miton’s fixed income team when he joins later this month and become the lead manager on the Premier Corporate Bond Monthly Income fund.
Premier Miton said James would help launch a fund similar to the one he ran at Merian, subject to regulatory approval, with Harris serving as a co-manager.
Willis Owen head of personal investing Adrian Lowcock said the move highlights Premier Miton’s ambitions to establish and grow its fixed income proposition and wider business.
“It is good news for Premier Miton as James should settle in quickly with his colleagues as they have worked closely together at Merian,”Lowcock added.
Premier Miton CIO Neil Birrell highlighted James’ “strong track record” in the contingent convertible bond space, adding his experience will be “invaluable as we seek to grow the breadth of our product set and offer our clients exposure to this asset class through genuinely active management”.
On a 12-month view Merian Financial Contingent Capital has returned 3.2% compared with the average peer in the IA Specialist sector which is down 4.8%.
Prior to joining Merian in 2013, James worked at Aviva Investors, Insight Investment and Baring Asset Management.
