Jenny Jones will retire from Schroders in 2019, the company said in a statement on Friday, with Bob Kaynor replacing the veteran as head of US small-cap and SMID equities.
Jones will end her 16-year association with Schroders, where she runs the Morningstar Silver Rated £1.6 billion US Mid Cap and £768 million US Smaller Companies funds alongside Kaynor, on 31 March 2019 but be available in an advisory capacity for several months, the firm said.
Kaynor will take on leadership of the team as well as Jones’s portfolio management at the end of March, with “a comprehensive handover of responsibilities” to take place between now and then.
Kaynor joined Schroders from Ballast Capital Group, where he was chief investment officer, in 2014 as director of small and SMID research before being appointed co-portfolio manager a year ago.
Nicky Richards, global head of equities at Schroders said the team has “great strength and depth of experience” and has worked together within the same investment process for many years. “Bob’s investment track record and leadership skills tell us he is the right person for the job,” he added.
Jones said planning for her successor had been a critical component of her job in recent times in order to “ensure consistency in our process and approach": “I am pleased that Bob shares that passion and is supported by a strong team that will aim to continue delivering strong risk-adjusted returns to our clients over time.”