Jacob is to stay on at the firm as vice chairman and will work on growth projects such as ‘globalising’ the firm’s fixed income business.
Jacob started at Henderson in 2005 and was responsible for restructuring the fixed income arm and building it into what it is today, a spokesperson said.
The purpose of the equity arm restructure is to give clients a clearer and more focused view of the company’s strengths, the spokesperson continued.
To this end the equity team has been divided into four main divisions under the umbrellas of European equities (run by John Bennett) multi-asset (headed by Bill McQuaker), absolute return (under David Elms) and global equity (run by Stephen Peak).
Peak’s responsibilities will be undertaken in a new role as head of global equities, meaning the management of his UK Alpha Fund has ceded to Neil Hermon and James Ross.
Hermon already manages the UK Smaller Companies Fund and Smaller Companies Investment Trust, while Ross is assistant fund manager on the Henderson European Absolute Return Hedge Fund.
Another knock-on effect of the restructure is the departure of the global financials team – comprised of head Simon Peters and two analysts. Peters’ Global Financials Fund has been taken on by Matthew Beesley’s team, which runs global equities strategies.
The Global Financials Hedge Fund has been closed as it was small and inefficient to run.
Henderson said the role of CIO had previously been necessary because of the acquisitions of Gartmore and New Star, but with the fund rationalisation completed last year it is no longer required.
Last week three European equity managers left Henderson but the group does not expect to see any more departures resulting from the restructure.
In an unrelated development Mark Skinner left his role of director of retail global distribution after 10 years with the company.
Former head of European retail Greg Jones has been appointed to head of retail for EMEA and Stewart Cazier has been promoted to managing director of distribution reporting to Phil Wagstaff, global head of distribution.
