The latest moves in wealth management across the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Columbia Threadneedle
Columbia Threadneedle Investments is parting company with Vanessa Donegan, Head of Asian Equities, Europe, who retires after 32 years with the business and its predecessor firms. In all, Donegan has worked in financial services for 35 years.

Donegan is one of the longest serving female fund managers in the City. Her departure comes shortly after another high-profile female wealth management figure, Dena Brumpton, announced she was standing down as boss of Barclays’s wealth management business. (See here.)

In January this year, Columbia Threadneedle brought together its regional Asian equities teams as an eight-strong global capability, led by Singapore-based Soo Nam Ng. Soo Nam Ng has more than 20 years’ experience of managing Asian equities and joined Columbia Threadneedle in 2013, following six years as chief investment officer at Nikko Asset Management.

Donegan will transferring control for portfolios over the next few months, with new lead managers formally taking over portfolios on 1 October this year, and stays at the firm until the end of 2018 to ensure a smooth transition.

Subject to the relevant approvals, the flagship Threadneedle Asia fund will be co-managed by George Gosden and Soo Nam Ng. The Threadneedle China Opportunities Fund has moved to co-management with Jin Xu, currently deputy manager, from the start of July. Jin Xu will become lead manager from 1 October.

“She [Donegan] has also been a role model to women entering the industry and has mentored young female talent through the business. While we are sad to see Vanessa go, today’s announcement is the result of robust succession planning, and she leaves in place a strong and successful team,” Mark Burgess, chief investment officer, EMEA, at Columbia Threadneedle, said.