Our People

What makes Threadneedle people different
At Threadneedle we're proud of a culture that encourages openness and cooperation. Our senior managers are generous with their insights and open-minded to the collective views of the desk. And, because they are highly experienced, they are bold and decisive when it comes to choosing investments.

A potent mix of skills
Each investment team balances risk takers and insightful thinkers. While we encourage flair and imagination in all our people, every decision they make is based on shared knowledge of the best ideas.

Together, we develop these ideas through rigorous research, robust thinking and thorough debate.

On these pages you'll find more information about some of our key people, and learn why Threadneedle continues to attract the best people from across the investment industry.

Simon Davies

Simon Davies  

Chairman

Simon Davies joined Threadneedle in 1995 and built up the investment department, before becoming Chief Executive Officer in 1999. After overseeing a period of major expansion and corporate change, in 2007 Simon became Executive Chairman.

Simon is a former Chairman of the Investment Management Association.

Threadneedle Career

1999 became Chief Executive Officer

1995 joined as Chief Investment Officer

Previous experience

1986 - 1995  Gartmore
Joined Gartmore as a pension fund manager; appointed to the board of Gartmore pension fund managers; transferred to international investment management as head of global funds in 1990; became head of international equities.

1981 - 1986  Rothschild Asset Management
Analyst and institutional fund manager

Crispin_Henderson

Crispin Henderson  

Chief Executive Officer

Crispin joined Threadneedle in 2002 as Chief Operating Officer, leading the finance, operations, administration and IT functions that have earned Threadneedle its reputation for professionalism. Before becoming Managing Director in 2006, Crispin chaired our Strategic Alliances Business Management team.

Crispin is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Threadneedle Career

2007 became Chief Executive Officer

2006 became Managing Director

2002 joined Threadneedle as Chief Operating Officer

Previous experience

1967 - 2002  PricewaterhouseCoopers
Served 35 years in total for PwC (and its predecessor firms) with 25 years as a partner. Specialised in providing consulting, advisory and audit services to major financial services clients.

John Devine

John Devine  

Chief Operating Officer

John Devine joined Threadneedle in 2008 as Chief Operating Officer. His key responsibilities involve the development and smooth running of the IT, HR, Finance and Legal departments. He also represents all Support functions on Threadneedle's Executive Board.

Prior to joining Threadneedle, John worked for 20 years at Merrill Lynch in a wide range of roles and locations including Senior Vice President in London, Managing Director in New York and Director of the Asia Pacific Region in Hong Kong. He has a degree in Geography from the University of Lancashire and is also CIPFA qualified.

Threadneedle Career

2008 joined Threadneedle from Merrill Lynch as Chief Operating Officer

Previous experience

2000 - 2008  Merrill Lynch & Co
Senior Vice President

1999  Barclays Capital
Managing Director

1988 - 1999  Merrill Lynch & Co
First Vice President

1987 - 1988  Prudential Bache Securities
Manager, Capital Markets Audit

Sarah Arkle

Sarah Arkle  

Chief Investment Officer

With a background in Far Eastern equity investment, Sarah Arkle was a founding member of our investment team when the company was established in 1994. She was instrumental in developing our investment process.

As Chief Investment Officer Sarah chairs Threadneedle's Asset Allocation Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee.

Threadneedle Career

2001 became Chief Investment Officer

1999 became Head of Equities and Managed Funds

1997 became Head of International Equities

1994 joined Threadneedle from Allied Dunbar

Previous experience

1983 - 1994  Allied Dunbar Asset Management
Allied Dunbar Asset ManagementJoined as Far East and Japan equity manager; became director of Allied Dunbar Asset Management

1981 - 1986  WI Carr, (Overseas Ltd)
Japanese equity sales

1978 - 1981  Save and Prosper
Joined as a trainee

Don Jordison

Don Jordison  

Managing Director, Threadneedle Property Investments

Don Jordison was a founding member of Threadneedle's team when the business was created in 1994. He is a trained chartered surveyor with over 20 years' experience of property investment and an Associate Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Threadneedle Career

2008 appointed Managing Director of Threadneedle Property Investments.

Director in charge of the Strategic Property Unit Trust (since 2006) and the Threadneedle Property Unit Trust (since 1998).

He also manages the Threadneedle UK Property Trust, the Threadneedle European Property Fund, the Threadneedle Capital and Income Fund and the Zurich Assurance Ltd AP Property Fund .

Previous experience

1991-1994  Director, Zurich Assurance Ltd AL Property Fund

Qualifications

MBA, City University London (1988), first class honours degree in Urban Estates Surveying, Nottingham Trent University (1984).

Philip_Best

Philip Best  

Chief Risk Officer

Philip Best joined Threadneedle in 2007 as our Chief Risk Officer and head of the Quantitative Research team, responsible for measuring, monitoring and reporting investment risk.

He has worked on financial markets risk since 1985, and in 1998 published one of the first books on VAR, Implementing Value at Risk.

Threadneedle Career

2007  joined as Chief Risk Officer

Previous experience

1985 - 2007  held consulting and industry positions in financial markets, including:

  • Head of Risk at UFJI
  • Director of Market Risk for Abbey National
  • Director of Trading Risk at Hambros
Philip_Best

Philip Reed  

General Counsel

Philip Reed joined Threadneedle in 2007, having previously been a partner at Norton Rose and a barrister in the chambers of Robert Webb QC.

As General Counsel Philip delivers legal and compliance advice to the Board, manages the legal, compliance and company secretarial functions and liaises with Ameriprise General Counsel.

Philip is a member of the Law Society, the Bar of England and Wales, and the American Bar Association.

Threadneedle Career

2007 joined as General Counsel

Previous experience

1998 - 2006  Norton Rose
Partner

1985 - 1998  Chambers of Robert Webb QC
Barrister

Campbell Fleming

Head of Distribution

Campbell Fleming joined Threadneedle as Head of Distribution in 2009. In this role he is responsible for directing the company's global sales, marketing and product development efforts and is also a member of the Executive Committee.

Prior to joining Threadneedle, Campbell was Managing Director of JP Morgan Asset Management’s UK business. He had been with the group for 12 years, first joining Robert Fleming Asset Management in 1997 and staying with the firm through a period of significant corporate activity. He has also held a variety of regulatory and legal roles in the UK and Australia.

Campbell gained a Diploma in Law at the Barristers & Solicitors Admission Board in conjunction with the University of Sydney Law School in 1991. He has also been admitted to the Supreme Courts of England & Wales and New South Wales and is a member of the Institute of Directors.

Threadneedle start date: 2009

Industry start date: 1995

William Lowndes  

Head of Asia Distribution

William Lowndes joined Threadneedle in 1998 as head of European compliance. He became head of Legal, Compliance and Audit in 2002 and was appointed as Head of US Distribution in 2006. Within his current position, he is responsible for the management of Threadneedle's Asia Retail/ Wholesale distribution. He also manages business development within this region and plays an instrumental role in the management of the company's relationship with Ameriprise.

William holds a Law Degree from Westminster University and practised for several years at the English Bar.

Threadneedle Career

2009 appointed Head of Asia Distribution

2006 - 2009 Head of US Distribution

2002 - 2006 Head of Legal, Compliance and Audit

1998 - 2002 joined as Head of European Compliance

Previous experience

1991 - 1998 Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Head of legal and compliance for both the institutional and fund businesses; responsible for managing strategic relationships, acquisitions and business development in Europe and Asia.

1986 - 1991 Fidelity
Joined as head of compliance for the UK; became director of legal and compliance for retail and institutional across Europe and Asia.

Maddi Forrester

Maddi Forrester  

Head of Global Institutional Business

Maddi Forrester joined Threadneedle in 1995 as a Fixed Income Fund Manager and became Head of UK Institutional Business in 2005. In 2006, she was appointed as Head of UK Distribution and in 2009 she assumed leadership of the newly-established global institutional business team. This includes managing the sales process and managing all aspects of client service.

Prior to joining Threadneedle, Maddi spent seven years at JP Morgan Investment Management and UBS Limited. Maddi holds a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from St Hilda's College, Oxford University.

Threadneedle Career

2009 became Head of Global Institutional Business

2006 - 2009 Head of UK Distribution

2005 - 2006 Head of UK Institutional Business

2003 - 2005 Fixed Income Investment Specialist

1995 - 2005 Head of Insurance Asset Management

1995 joined as Fund Manager (fixed income)

Previous experience

1994 - 1995 UBS Limited
Fixed income sales

1988 - 1994 JP Morgan Investment Management
Portfolio Manager

Gary Collins

Gary Collins

Head of UK Wholesale Distribution

Gary Collins joined Threadneedle in 2006 as Head of UK Retail Sales and became Head of UK Wholesale Distribution in 2009. In this role he is responsible for promoting Threadneedle's range of funds within the UK market. Gary started his career with Mercury Asset Management in 1995 as a Sales Manager. In 2001, Mercury Asset Management became Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and in 2004, Gary was appointed Director of UK Retail Sales. Gary graduated in 1995 from Nottingham Trent University with a degree in Financial Services.

Threadneedle Career

2009 became Head of UK Wholesale Distribution

2006 - 2009 Head of UK Retail Sales

Previous experience

1995 - 2006 Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (Mercury Asset Management became Merrill Lynch Investment Managers in 2001)

2004 - 1995 Director of UK Retail Sales

1995 - 2004 Sales Manager (wealth management channel across both long and hedge)

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