Mercer, the investment consultancy, is taking its new asset management business into the Asia Pacific region, hiring a former senior executive at multi-manager Russell Investments to lead the initiative, which offers to manage clients' money as well as advise on it.

Stephen Roberts will join Mercer on April 19, and be based in Sydney. A former head of Russell's institutional business in Australasia, he will now report to Mercer's overall head of Asia-Pacific, Peter Promnitz, and work alongside Simon Eagleton, the recently-promoted head of consulting and advice for the region.