Marlborough has hired Liontrust multi-asset duo Sheldon MacDonald and Nathan Sweeney in newly-created roles, as it targets increased flows into its multi-asset funds.

MacDonald has joined Marlborough as chief investment officer of multi-asset and Nathan Sweeney as deputy CIO of multi-asset, taking the multi-asset team to seven.

Both MacDonald and Sweeney (pictured) spent more than 10 years at Architas, before moving over to Liontrust in November 2020 when it bought Architas's UK multi-asset business.

At Architas, MacDonald was deputy CIO and prior to that, a senior investment manager, becoming deputy head of multi-asset at Liontrust.

Sweeney was a senior investment manager at Architas, where he managed the £1bn Architas Multi-Asset Active range. At Liontrust, he ran the Liontrust Multi-Asset Active range.

Marlborough CEO Richard Goodall said: "We have ambitious plans for our multi-asset proposition, and the business as a whole, and Sheldon and Nathan will play an important role in helping us to achieve those goals.

"They have a proven track record of growing a multi-asset business. With the outcomes they achieved for clients, they both contributed significantly to building Architas into a highly successful multi-asset business."

Goodall added that he has identified an opportunity in the UK and internationally to "work in partnership with more adviser businesses".

Last month, Marlborough appointed Alastair Caw from Columbia Threadneedle as head of client solutions to help further its growth plans, which include increasing flows into its managed portfolio services and range of single strategy funds.

MacDonald said: "One thing that's particularly interesting about the Marlborough Group is that alongside the multi-asset proposition we have IFSL, which offers authorised corporate director services.

"That twin capability creates a great opportunity to work in partnership with more adviser businesses who want to launch multi-asset funds."

"We'll be strongly focused on achieving the top-quality outcomes our investors expect, while at the same time engaging with advisers to keep them informed and listen to their feedback," added Sweeney.

"We see that as a crucial combination and one that will help us to continue to successfully grow the multi-asset business."