The new CEO will start in December, joining from M&G Investments.

Global investment firm Fidelity International has appointed Anne Richards as chief executive.

Richards will join Fidelity International in December and report to Abigail Johnson, chairman. 

She is currently CEO of M&G Investments. Richards has 26 years’ experience in the asset management industry. She chairs the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s practitioner panel and is a member of the US-based Board of Leaders of 2020 Women on Boards, which works to increase the proportion of women on corporate boards.

“Anne will assume responsibility for Fidelity International at an important time in its near-50 year history. Our ambitions to broaden and deepen our relationship with our clients; innovate in product development and solutions design; and to continue to develop our investment platform and Workplace Investing businesses have never been greater,” said Johnson. “I am very confident in Anne’s abilities to lead the company in this exciting period of future development and growth.”

Fidelity International offers investment solutions and retirement expertise. It invests £235.1 billion ($303 billion) globally on behalf of clients in 26 countries across Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. Its clients range from central banks, sovereign wealth funds, large corporates, financial institutions, insurers and wealth managers, to private individuals.