Debbie joins JPES having recently retired from her role as Global Head of Investment Research at Mercer, a position she held for more than 15 years. In this role, Debbie was responsible for manager and strategic research, leading a team of over 100 investment professionals working across all major asset classes and sustainable investment. Debbie currently serves as a Non-Executive Director of a number of BlackRock’s legal entities in the UK and has also held senior roles at Watson Wyatt and F&C Asset Management.

Regularly recognised as one of the most influential figures in the asset management industry over the last decade, Debbie has worked with some of the world’s largest asset owners across all major financial centres in Europe, the US and Asia, advising them on a range of critical investment issues. She is currently a member of the CFA UK advisory council and was an independent trustee to one of the UK’s most prominent pension schemes until the end of 2020.

In her consultancy role at JPES, Debbie will work with the firm’s Marketing Consultancy team to advise clients on a range of key issues relating to business and product positioning, client engagement and research to support their long-term business development efforts.

“As one of the most senior and influential individuals working in the asset management sector, Debbie brings a combination of experience and practical insight which we believe will prove hugely beneficial to our clients”, comments Julian Samways, Founder and Managing Director of JPES Partners. “Her appointment will provide an invaluable additional perspective to our consultancy services and reflects the key role that marketing communications has to play if investment businesses are to be successful, particularly in a post-COVID era.”

Debbie Clarke adds: “I very much look forward to working with JPES Partners and its clients, helping asset managers articulate their investment proposition to the benefit of their underlying clients and overall business development activities. In addition, I also look forward to contributing to broader proprietary research initiatives which can bring greater understanding of the longer- term trends driving the asset management industry and consequently how individual firms can best meet the needs of investors.”