Active from 1 May, the team will synergise OMGI and Old Mutual Wealth’s investment solutions expertise as the group seeks to develop its multi-asset capacity across internal and third-party external channels.
Reporting to OMGI chief executive Julian Ide, Cazier’s move from his position as chief operating officer of distribution at OMW comes as part of a group shake-up.
John Ventre, head of OMGI’s Investment Solutions Portfolio Management team, will work under Cazier on the development of new market solutions while retaining his current responsibilities on the Spectrum, Generation, Foundation, Cirilium and Voyage fund suites, alongside his OMGI investment director berth.
Ventre will report to OMGI investment director Paul Simpson, who will oversee portfolio management across the investment solutions team.
The OMW Investment Solutions team will become part of the new lineup, with Dean Bowden announced as proposition and commercial director and Nick Leitch moving from Intrinsic to take up the UK proposition manager berth under Bowden.
In addition, Danny Knight has been appointed as head of investment solutions directors, with his team providing expertise across OMW’s internal and external distribution channels.
Cazier explained that the decision to merge the teams was spurred by increasing presence of solution-based products in the market.
He said: “By bringing the teams together, we can bring together the different perspectives across the four businesses – UK, international, Intrinsic advisory and Quilter Cheviot private client – of what a solution is.
“We think in terms of propositions rather than funds. Both in the UK and internationally, solutions are the future. The amount of client and adviser demand for single-strategy components to build self-assembly portfolios is on the wane, whereas solutions is a growth area.”
Ide added: “This is a significant development for OMGI putting the Investment Solutions team right at the heart of OMW’s drive to further strengthen customer offerings and leverage growing opportunities in multi-asset investment through OMW and external third party channels.
“It is a natural development of our current structure. The new structure will also shorten lines of communication, introduce a multi-disciplinary approach and allow us to improve the customer experience at all parts of the value chain.”
