M&G bond veteran Jim Leaviss to leave after nearly three decades

reuters_tickers

LONDON (Reuters) – Jim Leaviss, one of Britain’s most prominent bond investors, has decided to leave asset manager M&G to pursue studies after a 27-year stint at the company, the firm said in a statement on Monday.

Leaviss oversaw M&G’s 139 billion pound ($178 billion) fixed income division and was also known for founding the company’s “Bond Vigilantes” blog.

Schroders’ head of fixed income Andrew Chorlton has been hired to succeed Leaviss, who is leaving later this year to study for a history of art master’s degree, M&G said.

Schroders said Chorlton, who had been on the fund manager’s group management committee, would not be directly replaced, with the company instead creating a fixed-income leadership team of six senior managers.

Joseph Pinto, CEO of M&G Investments, said Leaviss’ “influence in the world of bonds has been significant.”

Leaviss said in a farewell blog post that M&G’s fixed income team had grown from four people when he joined in 1997 to over 40 across London, Chicago, Singapore and Paris.

“It’s been a tremendous privilege to work at M&G for almost three decades and lead the team through the growth of bond markets during that time,” Leaviss said in a statement.

($1 = 0.7794 pounds)