The global asset management arm of London-listed Aviva group has hired Standard Life Investments' Graham Mudie to drive regional business development.

Aviva Investors has appointed Graham Mudie to its newly-created role of senior business development director within its UK sales team.

Mudie joins from Standard Life Investments, where he was investment director, responsible for relationships with independent financial advisors and discretionary fund managers across northern England.

In the newly-created role, he will be responsible for managing the sales team in Scotland and northern England. He will split his time between these regions and London.

“Graham’s experience in building and maintaining strong relationships with advisors, coupled with his deep knowledge of multi-strategy propositions, will be instrumental in helping meet the ambitions of our business,” said Aviva Investors' head of UK wholesale, Jeremy Leadsom.

Earlier this month, Aviva Investors appointed Giles Parkinson as global equities fund manager in London.

Aviva Investors had £247 billion ($385 billion) of assets under management as of 31 March 2015.