Former chief investment officer for equities at Pacific Investment Management Co (Pimco) has joined Eastspring Investments, as the firm looks to build out its investment business.
Virginie Maisonneuve will assume the position of chief investment officer, overseeing all investments for the $140 billion asset manager including equity, fixed income, asset allocation, private equity, infrastructure and onshore investment.
Maisonneuve departed Pimco following the closure of three active stock mutual funds in May 2015, after being recruited to build Pimco’s equities business.
Her role was not replaced, and was a huge setback to Pimco’s push into equities in 2009 when former chief Bill Gross sought to enter the space.
Maisonneuve was also head of global equities and a portfolio manager at Schroders for 10 years, before joining Pimco.
She is due to start on 11 January next year, and will report to chief executive officer at Eastspring Investments, Guy Strapp.
Strapp said: “Virginie’s experience in managing global, European, emerging marketing, Asian and Chinese equities will be critical to the future success of our business and the development of our investment expertise.”