Mercer, the international consulting and investment firm, has appointed a new global head of wealth management and manager research as part of an organisational shake-up. 

Jeff Schutes – formerly head of consulting in the US – has been installed in the newly-created role to support the company’s effort to integrate consulting and management.

London-based Cara Williams will continue to lead wealth management and will report to Schutes.

The company describes the integration as an attempt to keep up with what it sees as a changing industry: “Wealth management clients are seeking the same investment insights and solutions as the most sophisticated institutional investors,” said Phil de Cristo, president and group executive of investments.

Mercer has also named four regional investment chiefs: Rich Nuzum for the US; Tom Geraghty for Europe, the Middle East and Africa; Stephen Roberts for Asia-Pacific; and Ted Singeris for Canada and Latin America.

Additionally, Simon Eagleton will lead investment in Australia and New Zealand and report to Roberts, while Tom Murphy, Michael Dempsey and Yvan Breton have become heads of fiduciary management in the US, EMEA, and Canada and Latin America, respectively.

All the appointees come from within the company’s existing ranks.