Schroders has hired Charles Prideaux as head of its solutions business, a newly created role.

Prideaux left BlackRock at the end of 2016 after 28 years at the firm, having first joined its predecessor company Mercury Asset Management in 1988.

In his new role at Schroders, which he starts on October 2, Prideaux will oversee the company’s institutional and intermediary services including advice, bespoke portfolios and risk management.

His appointment comes as Schroders’ John McLaughlin, head of portfolio solutions, has announced his retirement after 24 years with the company.

Richard Mountford, global head of product, said: “We have big ambitions for our solutions business and I look forward to working with Charles and building on this well-established and highly regarded business.”

Prideaux’s most recent role at BlackRock was head of active management for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). He took the role last year having been head of EMEA institutional business since the firm’s merger with Barclays Global Investors in 2009.

Prior to that, he had been global COO for the fundamental equities business. He also sat on BlackRock’s EMEA executive committee.