F&C's Thorpe: Our distribution has been focused on the wrong areas

F&C becomes BMO’s ‘European centrepiece’

F&C Asset Management's head of UK sales for retail and wholesale, Rob Thorpe, talks to Laura Dew about expansion into passives, playing to F&C's strengths, and how the business fits into new owner Bank of Montreal's multi-boutique structure.

Rob Thorpe (pictured) became head of UK sales for retail and wholesale at F&C Asset Management almost a year ago, shortly before the business was snapped up by the Bank of Montreal. He joined the firm after a six-week stint at Sarasin, but before that he had spent nine years as head of sales at Cazenove Capital Management, which was acquired by Schroders last summer. Thorpe exited the group following the takeover, and took the head of retail job at Sarasin before opting to join F&C in December 2013. Just weeks after his arrival, F&C announced it was to be acquired by Canadian group Ba...