JPMorgan AM reviews corporate brief

PR Week UK, Thursday, 05 January 2006, 12:00am,

JPMorgan Asset Management has held talks with agencies to handle its corporate PR following a revamp of its public affairs support.

The fund manager has moved retained agency Fishburn Hedges to a pure PA brief, putting the original PR account up for grabs.

The account covers the promotion of its investment trust, mutual fund, and institutional and wholesale business. JPMorgan AM manages 19 investment trusts totalling £5.6bn.

Three agencies were set to pitch last month: Lansons Communications, Penrose Financial and M: Communications. December also saw JPMorgan AM hire Adam Fairhead as its first head of industry development – effectively its PA chief.

The fund manager hailed the appointment of Fairhead, who was previously the firm's head of product development, as part of its strategy to 'play an increasingly strong role in shaping the regulatory and industry environment in European asset management'.

UK fund managers have been particularly keen in recent months to make their voices heard in the raging debate concerning possible changes to fund management regulation.

Late last year the European Union published its green paper on a directive aimed at creating a single, and more transparent, investment fund distribution market.

Meanwhile in the UK, legislators are discussing a relaxation of rules that restrict retail investors' access to more controversial investments, such as hedge funds.