Premier Miton Investors announced that abrdn managers, Fiona Manning (pictured) and William Scholes, will be joining the firm to run a new sustainable emerging market fund.

The pair will join the company in August with the fund launching early next year.

It will invest in high quality emerging market companies which have a positive impact on the environment and society as well as generating returns.

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Premier Miton said that the new hires represent an "important strategic development for the firm" as they try to "expand investment objectives in line with client demand" as well as "bolstering" its range of responsible and sustainable-focused products.

The abrdn pair joining have some experience in the sustainable and emerging market side of the market already.

Both worked on the Aberdeen Standard SICAV 1 - Emerging Markets Sustainable Development Equity fund and, additionally, Manning led the ASI Emerging Markets Equity portfolio. She was also the senior investment director, charged with steering the company's GEM responsible investment strategies.

Scholes was appointed investment director back in 2018 having joined abrdn 13 years ago, initially as an analyst in the emerging markets team.

Commenting on her new role at Premier Miton, Manning said that both her and Scholes were "looking forward" to joining Premier Miton and "developing the firm's first sustainable emerging markets strategy".

She said that many emerging market companies are at the forefront of the transition to a more sustainable economy but they remain underinvested compares to their developed market peers, a disparity she sad they aim to exploit in the new fund.

These hires follow Chris Hamer, previously of BNY Mellon, a couple of months ago, who was brought in as head of business development at Premier.

On the wave of new joiners, Mike O'Shea, chief executive office at Premier Miton, said that they have been in alignment with the fund house's agenda for "identify great active managers across in-demand asset classes", something he feels Manning and Scholes will fulfil.

"We're excited to welcome them to the firm this summer," he said.