Company: Rathbones Investment Management

Personal AUM: No personal AUM. The CIO function guides the business in respect of £106.2bn of client capital (31 December 2025)

Company AUM:  Rathbones Investment Management AUM £106.2bn (31 December 2025)

Career history

Pela is head of investment capability at Rathbones. In this capacity, she leads the firm’s efforts in developing institutional-type solutions for the firm’s clients, including the private assets capability.

She also leads the firm’s initiatives as a major shareholder in the listed closed-ended space and is a member of the Investment Executive Committee.  

Pela has long experience in investment research, portfolio management and leadership roles across UK wealth, family office and multi-manager settings, including at Tilney (now Evelyn Partners), AXA, and Investec Wealth & Investment.

She holds a doctorate in Greek Papyrology from the University of Oxford and is a CFA charterholder.

Pela has served on the Investment Committee of the CFA Society of the UK and is a co-opted member of the Investment Committee managing the King’s College London endowment.

Key areas of focus

As head of investment capability at Rathbones Investment Management, I have been tasked with leading some of the highest-profile initiatives of the firm.

Key among them has been considering the landscape of evergreen private asset funds with a view to developing a compelling proposition for Rathbones’ clients.

In addition, I have been leading the firm’s activities as a major shareholder in the UK investment companies space. 

At a time where corporate activity is this sector has been intensifying, Rathbones has been the boards’ first port of call in a number of consequential situations, often engaging on a wall-crossed basis pre-announcement.

These activities have had tangible benefits for our clients, resulting in closing persistent discounts and generating liquidity when desired, as well as raising standards in the sector as a whole.

All this has been pursued in the context of significant operating model and leadership changes that are taking our business to the next level.