St. James’s Place names Justin Onuekwusi CEO of investments

St. James’s Place has confirmed Justin Onuekwusi as its CEO, Investments, after he had held the position on an interim basis since January.

He takes over from Tom Beal, who had been away on compassionate leave since late last year and has chosen to leave the company.

The appointment means Onuekwusi becomes a permanent member of St. James’s Place’s group executive committee.

In the post, he will oversee the Investment Directorate, including investment strategy, fund oversight, platform development and the group’s discretionary fund management operations through SJP Investment Management.

Onuekwusi joined St. James’s Place in October 2023 as chief investment officer.

Before that, he spent 10 years at Legal & General Investment Management, where his roles included head of Retail Investments, EMEA, and head of Retail Multi-Asset Funds.

He has over two decades of industry experience, with previous positions at Aviva Investors, Merrill Lynch and Aon.

Justin Onuekwusi said: “I am honoured to be appointed CEO, Investments at St. James’s Place.

“Over the past three years we have built a stronger, broader investment proposition for clients, strengthened our investment capabilities and continued to evolve the SJP fund platform.

“It is a privilege to be responsible for helping manage our clients’ assets and supporting their long-term financial goals. Looking ahead, we will continue to focus on investment excellence, innovation and delivering the best possible outcomes for clients.”

The change comes after the group expanded its Polaris range with the launch of Polaris Multi-Index in October 2025.

In March 2026, assets in the full Polaris range exceeded £100bn ($135.5bn).

St. James’s Place said in its half-year results in July 2026 that investment returns accounted for 16.4% of opening FUM on an annualised basis.

In his new position, Onuekwusi will work on the firm’s investment capabilities, the continued development of the Polaris range and wider fund line-up, governance and resilience across the platform, and platform innovation for clients and advisers.

He will also remain involved in the development of SJP Investment Management as the group pursues longer-term growth in its discretionary fund management business.

St. James’s Place CEO Mark FitzPatrick said: “Justin has had an enormous impact since joining St. James’s Place in 2023, having quickly established himself as a leader and role model for colleagues. 

“This has included playing a significant role in strengthening our investments proposition, a key differentiator for clients that sets St. James’s Place apart.

“I would also like to thank Tom for the contribution he has made to our Investment Directorate over many years and wish him the best for the future.”