Schroders continues expansion of UK LDI team

26 May 2023

Schroders has announced today continued investment in its Liability Driven Investment (LDI) team in the UK with the appointment of two senior LDI Solutions Managers to support the sustained growth of the business.

Owen Davies joins from Russell Investments and Sunil Patel from Willis Towers Watson. These appointments build on a number of recent hires across the LDI team, including Declan Gorton and James Whales, made in the last six months in response to strong growth in the business.

Owen spent eight years at Russell Investments, most recently as a Director in the EMEA Client Strategy and Advice team. Prior to joining Russell Investments Owen was an Investment Consultant, holding roles at Capita Employee Benefits (where he qualified as an Actuary) and Mercer. Owen joined the industry in 2008.

Sunil joins from Willis Towers Watson, a veteran of the firm with over 17 years of service in a variety of Investment and Pensions roles. A qualified Actuary, most recently Sunil was Head of Clients LDI leading the London and Reigate LDI team.

Sunil and Owen will report to Philip Howard, Head of LDI Solutions who along with Senior LDI Solutions Manager Marcella Murphy, are responsible for the development and growth of this key component within Schroders Solutions.

Schroders’ LDI team consists of Trading, Portfolio Management, Solutions Management and Solutions Change Management specialists. It is responsible for hedging in excess of £40 billion of liabilities with over 260 clients (as at 31 December 2022) on behalf of its UK client base.

James Barham, Executive Chairman, Schroders Solutions, commented: “The Schroders’ LDI team has experienced a surge in new business activity over the past nine months, as trustees re-evaluate their governance arrangements and providers in the aftermath of the gilt crisis in Autumn 2022. Our innovative LDI platform approach, which enables supporting assets, and our ability to make segregated LDI available to a wide variety of schemes, sets us apart from other providers in the industry. This, combined with our absolute focus on client engagement and delivery, ensures we remain one of the leading providers of this critical investment solution. We are pleased to welcome Owen and Sunil, who bring a wealth of experience to our team during this exciting period of growth.”

Philip Howard, Head of LDI Solutions, commented: “At Schroders, we pride ourselves on our client-centric values and commitment to delivering the best possible outcomes for our clients. That’s why I am thrilled to welcome Owen and Sunil to our LDI Solutions team. Both have demonstrated clear ownership and accountability for client outcomes throughout their careers. We are confident that their expertise and dedication will play a key role in supporting our growing business.”

Schroders Solutions offers advice and solutions, working in partnership with pension funds, financial services and other large institutions. The business builds bespoke investment solutions and strategies, designed to meet complex needs through Fiduciary and Liability Management, and other investment management services. Schroders Solutions manages £219.3bn in assets (as at 31 March 2023) across a range of outcome orientated growth, income, LDI and CDI portfolios, as well as insurance and risk management strategies.

Source: Schroders