Geoff Blanning, currently Schroders’ head of Emerging Market Debt Absolute Return and Commodities Group, is set to retire and leave the London-based asset management company in April 2018, the firm announced.
32-year experienced investment professional Blanning has been with Schroders since more than 19 years. Abdallah Guezour, currently head of Emerging Market Debt Absolute Return, will succeed Blanning as head of the Emerging Market Debt Absolute Return & Commodities Group in January 2018. Having joined Schroders in 2000, Guezour worked with Blanning for over 20 years.
It is understood that Mark Lacey, who worked with Geoff over the past three years as a fund manager for Schroders Commodities Strategy, Global Energy and Global Gold, will take over the leadership of the commodities team and overall energy sector responsibilities from January 2018.
Nicky Richards, global head of Equities at Schroders, said: “I would like to thank Geoff for his outstanding contribution to Schroders over the past 19 years. He has built a robust business with a clearly defined investment philosophy, a robust investment process and a strong team culture.
“The appointments of Abdallah Guezour and Mark Lacey will give our clients absolute investment continuity. We have great strength and depth of experience within our Emerging Market Debt Absolute Return and Commodities Group which has been proven through many different market environments since 2005.”
Schroders had €488.3bn in assets under management as of 30 September 2017.
