Simon Ellis to leave FSSC for LGIM

Simon Ellis will leave the Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC) after it has resubmitted its application for its operating licence at the end of this month to take up a new post at Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM).

Managing director Ellis (pictured) was brought in to head up a review of the FSSC after the government body, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, withheld relicensing of the council in July. He said management at the FSSC had known from the start that he would probably leave after the council's licence to operate had been resubmitted but there had been a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ in place if he had a change of heart.

‘We always had a sort of gentleman’s agreement that if at the end of the period I felt it was something that I was particularly committed to doing or they felt I was particularly suited to do we could have that conversation, but other things have come up which are more directly relevant to what I want to do,’ said Ellis.

Ellis will become managing director of the unit trust business at LGIM and said the FSSC was already talking to likely candidates about the position and the recruitment process for finding a successor was underway.

Within his new role, Ellis will be reponsible for the continued growth and expansion of LGIM's active and index unit trust business and will report to Mark Gregory, executive director of savings.

Gregory welcomed him to role, praising his experience within the financial services industry.

'I am delighted Simon has agreed to join Legal & General. He brings great industry expertise and knowledge. I look forward to working with Simon as we continue to develop as we continue to develop and expand the unit trust business.'

Before working at the FSSC, Ellis was managing director of Fidelity International Multi-Manager business. He will take up his new role in October.