Kames Capital will be dropped as a brand in 2020 as Aegon Asset Management seeks to merge its businesses into one global structure.
The integrated investment business, to be headed up by global chief executive Bas NieuweWeme (pictured), has combined assets under management of £303bn.
Distribution and operations teams will similarly be managed on a coordinated, global basis while maintaining local client focus and relationships, a press release said. There would be no changes to fund managers or investment processes.
The press release described Aegon as a more globally recognised brand.
Investment teams will be split into four asset classes – fixed income, real assets, equities and multi-asset and solutions. Each will be led globally by a chief investment officer, who will have a seat of the management board.
NieuweWeme said: “By organising our investment teams globally across the four investment platforms we can harness our experience, knowledge and resources worldwide. This will enhance our performance potential and help generate better investment outcomes for our clients, while providing them access to our best in breed products and solutions.
“The move will support the great work being done by our investment and distribution teams by providing them with deeper resources, while not changing our investment processes or local focus.
“The changes allow us to be more responsive to the changing markets and the evolving needs of our investors, while avoiding duplication of effort. The efficiencies we realise can be invested in our client proposition and service, with competitive pricing and investment in our systems and processes so that they remain best-in-class for our clients.”
