Threadneedle, the London-based asset manager, has announced that Mark Burgess will take up the role of chief investment officer next year, while Sarah Arkle, the current CIO, is to retire and become vice chairman of the company.

Burgess will join Threadneedle from Legal and General Investment Management, where he was managing director, head of equities, in the first quarter of 2011. Initially he will work closely with Arkle as she hands over her responsibilities.

Arkle joined Allied Dunbar Asset Management – one of the two businesses which merged to form Threadneedle – in 1994, going on to become one of Threadneedle’s founders. She took up the role of CIO at the firm in 2000. In her new role as vice chairman Arkle will work on high level client relationships and business development, as well as playing an ambassadorial role for the company.

In other recent developments, earlier this month Threadneedle appointed Dominik Kremer, from Pioneer Investments, as head of European distribution.