UK-based wealth manager St. James’s has announced the appointment of a new investments CEO, replacing Tom Beal who will be leaving the firm.
St. James’s Place (SJP) has appointed Justin Onuekwusi as CEO of investments and a permanent member of the group executive comittee, according to an announcement. He replaces Tom Beal, who has been on compassionate leave since the end of last year and has decided to leave the firm.
In his expanded role, Onuekwusi will lead the investment directorate, with responsibilities for investment strategy, fund governance, platform innovation, and the group’s discretionary fund management activities through SJP Investment Management.
Onuekwusi joined SJP in October as chief investment officer and has been serving in the investment CEO role on an interim basis since January. He has more than 20 years of experience and previously worked at Legal & General Investment Management, Aviva Investors, Merrill Lynch, and Aon.
Polaris Multi-Index range
In late 2025, SJP launched the Polaris Multi-Index range which invests in index-tracking strategies and is utilized by SJP for asset allocation in client portfolios. According to the firm, the full Polaris range passed GBP 100 billion (USD 135 billion) in assets in March 2026 and delivered 16.4% in annualised returns.
“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,” commented SJP CEO Mark FitzPatrick.
“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’m excited to continue working with Justin and our talented teams to further build our investment capabilities.”
