The investment firm has promoted two members of staff to senior positions in a bid to increase the efficiency of its investment portfolios.

Standard Life Wealth has promoted John Hair to the position of chief investment officer. The firm has also promoted Julie-Ann Ashcroft to head of investments, working alongside Darren Ripton.

Hair will report directly to Richard Charnock, chief executive, and he will be responsible for the overall performance of the company’s investment portfolios. He will form part of the leadership team based in London, it said in a statement yesterday.

Ashcroft will report into Hair, and will assume overall responsibility for the company’s conventional portfolios, as well as, managing The Balanced Bridge Fund and the Standard Life Wealth Offshore Income Fund.

Ripton will continue in his role as head of investments and will be responsible for overseeing the Standard Life Wealth’s Target Return portfolios.

Both Hair and Ashcroft moved to Standard Life Wealth following the acquisition of Newton private client business in 2013.

“John’s expertise in investment management equips him well, and his leadership skills will help drive our ambition to be a leading player in the discretionary investment management sector,” said Charnock. “Julie-Ann is a first class investment manager with exceptional investment skills and extensive client relationships. She has made a significant contribution to the business since she joined following the Newton acquisition in 2013, and brings more than ten years’ experience in the field. She is a great addition to the investment leadership team we have in place here at Standard Life Wealth.”

WealthBriefing reported last month that Standard Life was looking to improve its customer relations after it launched its new wealth platform Standard Life Wrap.