UK – Threadneedle Investments has named Madeline Forrester as its new head of UK institutional business, effective immediately.

Forrester, 39, was formerly the head of insurance asset management, and has been at Threadneedle for ten years. She will replace Mark Stanley, who left the retail investment fund on Thursday evening after five years.

Threadneedle spokesperson Richard Eats declined to comment on where Stanley was moving to following a request by his future employers.

Forrester will be responsible for co-ordinating and leading four main areas of activity, including the fund’s team of investment specialists; sales and consultant relationships; client accounting and relationship management.

Eats said: “The appointment comes ahead of a change in approach in the institutional market, expansion in Europe and our broad product range, including in global equities, fixed income and hedge funds.”

Forrester – now in charge of a 25-strong team - will be responsible for developing a team of Threadneedle product specialists “to bridge the gap between the investment department and the customers,” said Eats.

“Essentially this is a beefing up of what we do in terms of breadth and depth. Madeline has experience in both areas, and is therefore a great person to lead the change in direction.”

Over the past year Rainer Schroder, Thomas Berglund and Keith White have been appointed to head up institutional business interests in Germany, the Nordic region, and the Middle East and Asia respectively.

Speaking on her appointment Forrester commented: “I am very pleased to have the opportunity to work with institutional clients on equity products as well as fixed income and liability driven investments.”

She praised the firm’s global track record and stated they have “a wide range of opportunities to take out to the market”.