Scottish Widows Investment Partnership has confirmed that James Clunie, investment director of its global equities team, has left the firm.

Clunie, who had served at SWIP since April 2007, has left the firm to take up the new role of fund manager at Jupiter Asset Management.

Investment director Tony Foster, with more than 25 years’ investment management experience, will assume responsibility for managing the SWIP UK Flexible Strategy Fund. Foster has been a member of SWIP’s equities team for 13 years.

Meanwhile, Mark Phillips will continue as back-up manager. Phillips has 31 years’ investment management experience and has also served at SWIP for 13 years.

SWIP currently has a 14-strong global equities team, led by Will Low. The team is responsible for driving the growth of SWIP’s high-alpha equities business.

When contacted by this publication, Jupiter Asset Management confirmed that Clunie will join the firm in July.