St. James’s Place has hired Rio Stedford (pictured) as investment product strategy director.
She has a 15-year career history with stints most recently at Finura and Quilter Cheviot.
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At SJP, Stedford will be tasked with defining a clear roadmap for the current product suite, as well as identifying opportunities for development and expansion. Her hire represents the next phase of growth for SJP’s investment team, according to a statement.
Kunal Oak, director of investment products at St. James’s Place, said: “We’re excited to welcome Rio to our growing investment product team at SJP, marking another important step in our journey as a company. Her track record has always been oriented around driving strategic growth and making a real impact that aligns with client needs. This will be vital for our clients and partners, as we look to strengthen our product suite and deliver strong client outcomes.”
Stedford added: “I am delighted to be joining SJP at such an exciting and innovative time for the business, applying my expertise aligning product and proposition strategy with the evolving needs of financial planners and their clients.
From continuing to build out its index tracking investment strategies – as seen with the launch of the Polaris Multi-Index funds last year – to exploring new asset classes and markets, I’m certain the focus on diversification will allow us to capitalise on the opportunities that emerge in 2026 and beyond.”
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