F&C Asset Management plc : Appointment of Chief Executive Officer

4th December 2012

F&C Asset Management

Appointment of Chief Executive Officer

Following an extensive search process, F&C Asset Management plc ("F&C" or "the Group") is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Wilson as Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1st January 2013. Richard will join the Board as an Executive Director with immediate effect. This appointment is subject to FSA approval.  Edward Bramson will revert to non-Executive Chairman of the Board following release of the Group's preliminary financial results for 2012.

Richard Wilson has 24 years experience in the Fund Management industry and is currently responsible for F&C's investment and distribution activities. During his time at F&C, Richard has also held a number of senior management positions.  Prior to F&C he was Head of International Equities at Gartmore and Managing Director, Global Equities at Deutsche Asset Management. He started his fund management career at HSBC as a Fund Manager.

Edward Bramson said:

"I am delighted to welcome Richard to the Board and look forward to him assuming his new role as CEO on 1st January. Richard has played a critical role in the development and execution of the Group's strategy over the last year.  I look forward to us working together and continuing to build value for all our stakeholders."

Richard Wilson said:

"I have enjoyed working closely with Edward in the formulation of our strategy over the last year. With a foundation of a much improved financial position for the group, I am excited to be given the opportunity to lead F&C and implement our growth strategy to the benefit of our clients, employees and shareholders."

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

About Richard Wilson:

Richard joined F&C Asset Management in 2004 as Head of European Equities. He has held a number of senior management positions including Head of Equities, Head of Investments and Head of F&C's Institutional Business. As part of the Group's management team Richard has responsibility for F&C's Group business plan. He has led the recent reorganisation and reshaping of the business with a strong emphasis on client requirements and future growth.

Richard began his career in fund management in 1988 as a UK Equity Fund Manager with HSBC Asset Management (formerly Midland Montagu).  In 1993 he moved to Deutsche Asset Management (formerly Morgan Grenfell) where he was latterly Managing Director, Global Equities.  During his time there he headed up a number of investment teams and was also the lead manager for a number of Deutsche's clients in the USA, Hong Kong, Australia and Japan.  Richard joined Gartmore Investment Management in 2003, where he was Head of International Equity Investments. In this role he managed both segregated Institutional and open ended European and Global equity portfolios.

Richard has a BA (Hons) in Economics and Statistics from the University of Exeter.

About F&C Asset Management:

F&C Asset Management plc ("F&C" or "the Group") is a diversified investment manager which traces its origins to the launch of the Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust in 1868. While many asset managers are owned by financial services conglomerates, such as banks or insurance companies, F&C is an independent business, listed on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. F&C is focused exclusively on managing money for its clients. Today the Group operates from offices in nine countries and manages £96.8billion of assets (at 30/09/12) for a combination of insurance clients, institutional investors, intermediaries and private individuals which collectively represent in excess of 3 million underlying savers. F&C invests across all major asset classes - equities, fixed income and property - and has specialist expertise in asset allocation, alternative investments, liability driven investments, multi-manager, private equity funds and ESG Investing. The Group includes F&C REIT, a global real estate asset manager.