The head of global investments for Asia-Pacific at Northern Trust has left, and is believed to be joining rival BlackRock to lead its APAC index equity team, say reports.

Asset management veteran Kevin Hardy worked at Northern Trust for nearly nine years, and was also country head for Hong Kong at Northern Trust, according to AsianInvestor.

Hardy is due to leave US asset manager Northern Trust by the end of September and will take up his new role with BlackRock in October.

He comes in as a managing director based in Hong Kong and will be responsible for the regional index equity team's portfolio management activities. He replaces Jane Leung, whose appointment as head of iShares Asia-Pacific was announced in May, said the online publication.

The index equity team in Asia-Pacific has $62 billion in assets under management and represents just under 5 per cent of the global index equity business.

William Mak has been appointed interim Hong Kong country head at Northern Trust and will lead global investments for Asia-Pacific. Mak is currently Singapore country manager and head of Southeast Asia.

Northern Trust had $704.3 billion in assets under investment management globally as at June 30 this year.