Julie McDowell has quit Aberdeen Asset Management to join Standard Life Investments as its socially responsible investment (SRI) research manager.

McDowell joins the rival Scottish fund manager in a newly created post. SRI issues have until now fallen to Standard Life's corporate governance team, headed by Guy Jubb. The new appointment represents a sharpening of the firm's focus on SRI, which may lead to the launch of socially responsible and ethical products and services. A Standard Life spokesman stressed, however, there was nothing in the pipeline.