Standard Life Investments: Keith Skeoch to succeed Peter Harrison as chair of IA board

Keith Skeoch, CEO of Standard Life Aberdeen, has been appointed the new chair of the UK Investment Association (IA) board, replacing Schroders group CEO Peter Harrison.The IA also appointed Michelle Scrimgeour, chief executive of Legal & General Investment Management, and Patrick Thomson, chief executive for EMEA of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, as deputy chairs, as part of a move to "bolster" its long-term strategic direction and industry leadership.They replace Skeoch, who had been made deputy chair of the IA board in September 2019 for a two-year term, while Harrison is set to step down as his three-year term as chairman comes to an end.All three appointments, which were made following a board meeting and vote yesterday (13 February), will assume their roles on 1 May 2020.Chris Cummings, chief executive of the Investment Association, said: "The board sits at the heart of what we do at the IA and ensures we remain focused on the priorities of the industry and those it serves."Given the pace and scale of the changes faced by our industry, here in the UK and internationally, it has never been more important to have a strong voice speaking up for the investment management industry."He said of the new appointments that their "fresh perspectives" and senior business experience will be "invaluable".Cummings added: "I would also like to pay tribute to Peter Harrison, who has been an inspirational chair of the IA and who has helped build it into the organisation of influence that it is today."Skeoch said he was "honoured" to take on the role of chairman and said he would work with the team at the IA to "ensure the industry continues to focus on delivering for clients, investors and the UK economy".Scrimgeour added that she was looking forward to "playing my part in ensuring that we have robust conversations around the future direction of our sector". This article was first published on sister publication InvestmentWeek.co.uk