About John
From May 2010, John Ions has been Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Liontrust Asset Management Plc, which has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 1999.
He has extensive experience in and knowledge of asset management. He is a skilled leader with proven expertise in mergers and acquisitions, integrating acquired businesses, regulation and distribution.
Under John Ions’ leadership, Liontrust has expanded its investment capability and developed a clear approach. Each team applies distinct, robust and repeatable investment processes to managing portfolios with high conviction for the long-term benefit of clients.
Since 2010, Liontrust has invested in and grown its sales and marketing capabilities in the UK and internationally. Assets under management and advice (AuMA) have increased from under £1 billion in 2010 to £27.6 billion as of 12 April 2024.
Liontrust has gained independent recognition as a leading asset manager in the UK throughout his leadership; the company has one of the most recognised brands and has won group and fund awards over many years. In 2021 alone, Liontrust won Asset Manager of the Year at the Financial News Awards, the Best Fund Group at the Shares Awards, and Global Group of the Year at the Investment Week Fund Manager of the Year Awards.
Prior to joining Liontrust, John Ions was Chief Executive of Tactica Fund Management from 2005. Tactica was seeking to address new attitudes to investment management through distributing multi asset class funds via financial advisers and strategic partnerships.
In 1998, he co-founded SG Asset Management (SGAM), where he was Joint Managing Director and Chief Executive of SG Unit Trusts Limited and was responsible for setting up the retail division. SGAM was one of the fastest growing and most high-profile asset managers, attracting over £5 billion in AuM in under three years.
Having joined Prolific Asset Management in 1993 as Head of UK Sales, John Ions was responsible for rebuilding its distribution structure and capability after its sale to Scottish Provident. The business quickly became one of the top 10 providers and John’s sales and marketing role became global in 1995 as he took on responsibility for Europe and Asia. Following the acquisition by Aberdeen Asset Management, John was responsible for global mutual fund distribution and merging the unit trust and investment trust sales, marketing and administration departments of the two businesses.
He was also Head of UK sales at Thornton Investment Management from 1990 to 1993.
He graduated from City London Polytechnic with a Higher National Diploma in Business and Finance, a Diploma in Management Studies, and became MCIM qualified.
