Jupiter Asset Management is pleased to announce that Amanda Sillars and David Lewis are to join Jupiter's market-leading Merlin fund of funds team.

Amanda Sillars will join Jupiter as Fund Selection Specialist on 18 May 2011 from JP Morgan and its predecessor firms where she worked for almost fifteen years, latterly as Investment Director and Executive Director with JP Morgan Asset Management. In this role she had investment oversight of approximately 500 equity and multi-asset segregated accounts, institutional funds and investment trusts. Amanda also led the Corporate Governance (EMEA) team and is a Trustee of the JPMC UK Retirement Plan.  Prior to this, Amanda worked for ten years as a Fund Analyst, Vice President for JP Morgan Private Bank and Flemings. In this role she worked as the lead analyst selecting and investing in equity long only mutual funds for JP Morgan European Private Bank clients.

David Lewis will join the team as an Assistant Fund Manager on 18 May 2011 from Jupiter's Private Clients & Charities division where he has worked as an Assistant Fund Manager since February 2010. He joined Jupiter in November 2008 as a portfolio assistant for the private client team from independent financial adviser Bestinvest, where he worked for two years, latterly as an assistant investment manager within the discretionary investment management department.

The Jupiter Merlin team - John Chatfeild-Roberts, Peter Lawery and Algy Smith-Maxwell - have, over the 11 years they have worked together, developed one of the most successful fund of fund franchises in the UK, managing assets of over £6bn across six portfolios.

These portfolios, which cover a range of investment objectives, have produced award-winning outperformance. Over the past 10 years, for example, the Jupiter Merlin Income fund, has returned 85.5% versus 38.5% for the cautious managed sector, placing the fund second out of 25 funds in the sector while the Jupiter Merlin Growth fund has grown 114.7% versus 44.6% for the IMA Active Managed sector, placing the fund fourth out of 42 funds in the sector. Over the past three years Jupiter Merlin Income has returned 21.6% compared with 10.7% for the sector average, placing the fund 14 out of 115 funds in the sector while Jupiter Merlin Growth has returned 25.7% against 10.5% for its sector average, placing the fund seventh out of 110 funds in the sector.*

This performance has resulted in a string of awards for the team, including Best Multi Manager/Multi Asset Provider at the Money Marketing Awards for the last three years in a row.

John Chatfeild-Roberts, Chief Investment Officer at Jupiter Asset Management and head of the Jupiter Independent Funds Team, said: "Jupiter has built a strong reputation for successfully developing its fund management team over the past decade and with the Independent Funds Team now managing over £6bn in assets, we felt the time was right to expand the team. I am delighted Amanda and David are joining us and look forward to working with them."

Amanda Sillars said: "The Jupiter Independent Funds Team has been applauded universally for both asset allocation and fund selection over many years. I am delighted to be joining this excellent and stable team and very much look forward to helping develop their successful products."

David Lewis said: "Jupiter's Private Client & Charities division works very closely with John, Algy and Pete and so I have developed a strong relationship with them in the two and a half years I have worked here. I am delighted to be joining the team."

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors

* Source: Financial Express. Bid to bid, net income reinvested to 30.4.2011. With the exception of the Balanced portfolio which was launched on 7.10.02, the Jupiter Merlin Portfdolios were managed by John Chatfeild-Roberts and his team at Lazard from 1.5.97 until 1.3.01. On 1.3.02, the management of these funds was fully transferred to Jupiter Unit Trust Managers Ltd under the same management team.

FUND FACTS: JUPITER MERLIN PORTFOLIOS
Fund names: Jupiter Merlin Income, Jupiter Merlin Balanced, Jupiter Merlin Growth and Jupiter Merlin Worldwide
Managers: John Chatfeild-Roberts, Peter Lawery and Algy Smith-Maxwell
Fund Selection Specialist: Amanda Sillars
Assistant Fund Manager: David Lewis
Charges: 5.25% initial charge, 1.5% annual management fee
Minimum investment:  £500

Jupiter Unit Trust Managers Limited (JUTM) and Jupiter Asset Management Limited (JAM) are both authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority 25 North Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HS. JAM and JUTM's registered address is 1 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7JJ. The group is collectively known as "Jupiter". The above commentary represents the views of the Fund Manager at the time of preparation and may be subject to change. They are not necessarily those of Jupiter as a group and readers should be aware that they should not be interpreted as investment advice. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of any information provided but no assurances or warranties are given.