Legal & General Investment Management has confirmed Helena Morrissey is to exit the business to “pursue other opportunities”.
Morrissey was appointed head of personal investing in 2017 having previously been chief executive at BNY Mellon Investment Management boutique Newton.
Just last month it was revealed she had been interviewed for the Bank of England governor role being left vacant by Mark Carney.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time at LGIM, but I see a changing Britain and have a lot of ideas and other things that I want to achieve,” said Morrissey, who has been a vocal Brexit supporter.
“I am looking forward to the next phase of my career at a time of great change and opportunity. In the meantime, I will continue to work with colleagues at LGIM through the Diversity Project, demonstrating the good on-going relationship between us.”
Head of retail for Europe, Middle East and Africa Honor Solomon will lead LGIM’s work in personal investing supported by Emma Douglas, head of defined contribution.
LGIM CEO Michelle Scrimgeour said: “I want to thank Helena for her contribution during her time at LGIM. She has been a powerful advocate for diversity within financial services and the City more generally. She has established a strong foundation for LGIM’s growth in the Personal Investing space, leading our efforts to engage with the nation’s savers and personal investors. We are also delighted to have supported her broader work, her book “A Good Time to be a Girl” and her leadership of the 30% Club and Diversity Project.”
In May 2018, she helped launch the LGIM Future World Gender in Leadership UK Index fund, also known as the Girl fund. The fund received a mixed response from intermediaries.
That same month she was also touted as the “obvious” successor to Mark Zinkula, who announced he was stepping down as LGIM chief executive. However, Scrimgeour ended up taking the top job, jumping ship from Columbia Threadneedle where she had been head of its EMEA business.
Morrissey had been chair of the Investment Association before handing over to Schroders CEO Peter Harrison in 2017 as she prepared to take on her role at LGIM. She had been at Newton since 2001 before exiting for LGIM.
