IA appoints new chief executive

The Investment Association (IA) has appointed John Owen as its chief executive. Owen will succeed outgoing chief executive Chris Cummings.

Owen joins the IA from consultancy EY, where he was a partner, advising firms on regulatory strategy and risk. Prior to that, he spent 20 years in the civil service. He served as director for financial services in the Treasury from 2022 to 2025, leading the delivery of the UK’s post-Brexit regulatory regime and setting the strategic direction for domestic financial services policy.

Chair of the IA Board, and executive vice president and head of EMEA for State Street Investment Management, Ann Prendergast said: “John brings the experience to progress the Investment Association’s strategic priorities, including encouraging more people to invest, driving innovation, and supporting dialogue between policymakers, regulators and industry to ensure the UK remains a competitive, world-leading centre for investment management.

“The Board was unanimous in its decision to appoint John. We were impressed by his deep understanding of the policy environment in which we operate and ability to navigate complexity to focus on delivery and believe he is well-placed to help the Investment Association continue to develop and serve its members.”

John Owen said: “I am honoured to have been appointed as the next Chief Executive of the Investment Association. I have seen first-hand the value the IA brings in convening the investment management industry and strengthening our collective voice to deliver positive change in the UK and internationally.

“Despite an uncertain global backdrop, I believe we have the capability to seize the right opportunities to support our sector and contribute to economic growth and financial resilience of households in the UK and beyond. While taking on this incredible opportunity means I leave EY, I do so grateful for the time I spent with the firm, having enjoyed working with exceptional colleagues and clients.”

Jess Rigby joins Vidett in a string of new hires to boost its operational oversight capabilities

Professional trustee firm Vidett has hired Jess Rigby as a client director to lead its administration and transition services. She previously led operational and governance transformation at Evolve Pensions and has chaired the PASA DC Working Group.

Rigby said: “I’m delighted to be joining Vidett at a time when there is such a strong focus on strengthening administration oversight. What attracted me most was the opportunity to work in a collaborative environment where that expertise can be embedded more widely and used to genuinely improve how pension schemes operate in practice.

“There’s often an assumption that things will just work, but we need a real understanding of what is happening day to day in pension scheme administration.”

Vidett has also hired Matt Riley as a manager, supporting governance, scheme secretarial and trustee services, communications and project delivery. Riley previously worked in-house at Vodafone, supporting DB and master trust governance, supplier oversight and member engagement.

Finally, Natalina Onofrio rejoins Vidett as Marketing Assistant, focusing on digital marketing, communications, analytics and copywriting.

Wayne Phelan, chief executive of Vidett, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jess, Matt and Natalina to Vidett at a key time for the pensions industry. As schemes face increasing complexity and scrutiny, the need for strong governance, operational insight and clear communication has never been greater. Together, they will strengthen our ability to support clients with both technical expertise and clear, practical communication that will help to improve decision-making and outcomes.”

Osborne joins Carne Group

Daniel Osborne has joined third-party management company Carne Group as managing director, head of ETF solutions. He has worked for over 30 years in senior roles at State Street and BlackRock, bringing high-level experience of ETF distribution, operations and strategy.

Osborne will be based in London and lead Carne’s ETF business, helping managers bring ETF products to market while navigating an increasingly complex and competitive landscape.

Osborne commented: “The growth of ETFs in Europe has raised the bar for operational readiness, governance and execution. Managers are under real pressure to move quickly, and they need the regulatory framework, the operational infrastructure and the governance expertise to do it properly … I look forward to helping existing and new ETF managers navigate the next phase of ETF growth.”