Announcement • Jun 03
Aberdeen Group plc Announces Board Appointments, Effective June 3, 2026
Aberdeen Group plc announced that Arno Kitts and Richard (Rick) Lacaille had been appointed to the Board as Non-Executive Directors with effect from June 3, 2026. They will put themselves forward for election by shareholders at the 2027 AGM. Arno Kitts has over 30 years' experience in global asset management and insurance, having held senior leadership roles at BlackRock, Henderson Global Investors and JP Morgan. At BlackRock, he was Managing Director of the UK Institutional business and Chief Executive of its life insurance investment platform. He is the founder of Perspective Investments, a boutique investment management firm. He has also served as a Non-Executive Director of Pension Insurance Corporation plc, where he chaired the Investment and Origination Committee. Arno is currently Chair of New World Group Holdings Limited and a member of the Investment Committee of The Valesco Group Limited. His biographical details include: Nationality: British; Education: University of Southampton, PhD; University of Southampton, BSc, Mathematics. His current non-executive roles are: 2025 - Current, New World Group Holdings Limited, Chair; 2023 - Current, The Valesco Group Limited, Member, Investment Committee; 2017 - Current, Wakett (Malta) Ltd, Non-Executive Director. His executive career summary includes: 2008 - Current, Perspective Investments, Founder, Director of MH Markets Global Limited and Pi Investment Management Limited; member of the Investment Committee and Investment Advisory Committee and a director of managed funds; 2012 - 2016, BlackRock, Managing Director, UK Institutional Investment business, Chief Executive of BlackRock Life Limited; 2003 - 2012, Henderson Global Investors, Head of Global Distribution, Head of UK & EMEA Institutional Business; 1997 - 2002, JP Morgan Chase, Head of UK Institutional Business, JP Morgan Asset Management, Head of European Defined Contribution Business, JP Morgan Asset Management, Chief Executive, JP Morgan Life Limited; 1989 - 1997, Forester Insurance Group, UK Group Chief Executive & Head of Investments, GM, Finance and Operations & Head of Investments, Investment Analyst, Actuarial & Investment Department. His previous non-executive roles include: 2016 - 2025, Pension Insurance Corporation plc and Pension Insurance Corporation Group Limited, Non-Executive Director and Chair of Investment and Origination Committee; 2017 - 2023, Wake Trade Technologies Ltd, Non-Executive Director; 2006 - 2011, Pension & Lifetime Savings Association, Non-Executive Director. Rick Lacaille is a highly experienced investment leader, having spent over 20 years in senior roles at State Street Global Advisors, latterly as Global Chief Investment Officer, where he had oversight of investment activity across active and passive strategies and multiple asset classes. Rick also has deep experience in ESG having most recently served as Global Head of ESG at State Street, where he led the firm's approach to sustainability and engagement with regulators, clients and investors. He is currently a Senior Advisor at Enzo Advisors LLC and Executive Advisor at Arab Invest. He has also held a number of industry roles, including as Chair of the Institute for Quantitative Investment Research and as a member of the Investment Association's Asset Management Committee. His biographical details include: Nationality: British; Education: London Guildhall University, MSc, Econometrics and Forecasting; Lancaster University, BSc, Operational Research. His current advisory roles are: 2024 - Current, Enzo Advisors LLC, Senior Advisor; 2026 - Current, Arab Invest, Executive Advisor. His executive career summary includes: 2000 - 2023, State Street Global Advisors, Senior Advisor and Global Head of ESG, Global Chief Investment Officer, Head of Global Active Quantitative Strategies, Chief Investment Officer, Europe, Head of Structured Equities; 1993 - 2000, Gartmore Investment Management Ltd, Head of Structured Equities, Head of Quantitative Research; 1984 - 1993, C Squared, Quantitative Finance Consultant.
