Assirt head of research departs after four months

Afterjust four months in the job, Assirt’s head of research John Parrish has resigned, unsure whether he will stay in the research industry.

According to Parrish, while the decision to leave Assirt is due to both “personal and professional reasons”, his immediate plan is to take time to review and reassess what his future role might be.

“I do not have another job. It (my future) could be in the research direction or is likely to be in a business building role,” he says.

Parish, who joined Assirt in March after only 12 months as the investment consulting general manager at consulting group NSP Buck, has over 30 years experience in the investment area in Australia, including 10 years at National Australia Bank.

As Assirt’s head of research, Parrish was responsible for the management and delivery of investment research, including the Assirt Rating process and portfolio construction services within Assirt.

Assirt associate director Anthony Serhan says Parrish’s departure would have a minimal effect on Assirt research. Serhan says the group had worked without a head of research for some time prior to the appointment of Parrish.

“We will be moving to fill the position, but for the moment we will be functioning as normally,” Serhan says.

At this stage, Serhan says he does not know who will replace Parrish.

The departure by Parrish follows that of Assirt’s chief executive Krystyna Weston, who left the group in April to take up the role of head of retail distribution with AMP Henderson Global Investors.