Kanesh Lakhani, senior managing director for the UK and Middle East at State Street Global Advisors, has quit to join First State Investments.

Lakhani is one of the last survivors of the management regime developed by former investment chief Alan Brown before he moved to Schroders in 2005. Brown's departure triggered a raft of defections from SSgA, but Lakhani agreed to stay after securing his senior managing director position.