Salford-based investment platform AJ Bell said it appointed Jamie Ward as head of investment “solutions” to help continue the growth of its investment business that now manages over £2 billion of assets.

Ward will be responsible for managing AJ Bell’s range of investment “solutions” which encompass its managed portfolios service and range of multi-asset funds.

Ward joins AJ Bell from CRUX Asset Management where he was fund manager on the CRUX UK Core fund.

Prior to that he was an equity analyst at Investec and Brown Shipley.

AJ Bell Investments MD Kevin Doran said: “Jamie and I have kept in touch since we worked together at Brown Shipley.

“He has a wealth of experience in running multi-asset portfolios and will play a key role in ensuring we continue to deliver a wide choice of investment solutions with low costs and clear communications.”

Ward said: “This is an exciting opportunity to join a high growth business which is absolutely focused on its purpose of helping people to invest.

“The range of investment solutions on offer from AJ Bell is already market leading and I’m looking forward to working with the team to help develop them further and deliver high quality solutions to advisers and customers.”