Thorpe will take charge of sales and distribution of F&C’s retail funds and investment trusts, focusing on the intermediated market.
Thorpe brings with him 25 years’ experience of financial services and joins F&C following a brief spell as head of retail at Sarasin & Partners. Previous to this, Thorpe served for nine years at Cazenove Capital as head of UK retail.
Announcing the hire, F&C’s head of client management Mandy Mannix, said: “F&C has a substantial foundation in our consumer proposition with the retail and investment trust business and we are looking forward to bringing our distribution capabilities together under Rob.”
Thorpe’s hire comes after F&C’s two-year mission to overhaul its operations, aimed at cutting down its costs and boosting its share of the retail market.
Thorpe said F&C was in a “very strong position” now it had been re-organised and was ready to grow substantially.