Appointments

NETHERLANDS - Northern Trust has appointed Wim van Ooijen to head up its Netherlands business.

Buck Consultants has appointed Louise Brett to head up its communications practice.

UK/GLOBAL - J.P. Morgan Asset Management has hired Mike O'Brien, BlackRock's former head of institutional business for EMEA, as its global head of the institutional client group.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management has hired Mike O'Brien, former head of institutional for EMEA at BlackRock, as global head of its institutional client group.

Royal London group chief executive Mike Yardley is planning to step down to focus on helping the industry tackle future challenges.

rpmi has boosted its investment analysis department with two new hires, Laura de Ornelas and Steven Keshishoghli.

F&C Investments has continued the expansion of its institutional team with the appointment of Fiona Prendergast as a client director.

ASIA - Nikko Asset Management has hired the former Morgan Stanley Investment Management chief executive for Asia to help the Japanese firm continue to expand throughout the region.

F&C Investments has appointed Emily Fitz-James as client director in its institutional team.

Paternoster has been put up for sale, with its original backers facing the loss of more than half their £500m equity investment.