Fidelity International’s Sam Morse will retire in October 2027 and the asset management house is adding Alexander Laing to the team to help manage the change.
Morse and Marcel Stötzel currently run the Fidelity European Trust and the Fidelity European fund together. From 1 November 2026, Laing will join them as a third manager and the team will be supported by Fidelity International's global research staff and other resources.
Over the next 12 months, Morse's duties will pass to Stötzel and Laing as part of long-term succession planning. There will be no change to either fund’s investment objective or investment policy.
Morse began his career as an analyst in 1986 and became a fund manager in 1992. He joined Fidelity International in 2004, working first in UK stocks then European stocks.
Laing has worked at Fidelity International since 2011. He runs the Fidelity Climate Solutions fund and the Circular Economy strategy; he also co-manages the Fidelity Sustainable Water & Waste fund.
Laing also has experience as both an analyst and a manager focused on Europe.
A Fidelity International spokesperson said: “Bringing Alexander into the portfolio management team at this stage provides an extended period for him to work closely alongside Sam and Marcel, supporting a smooth transition of responsibilities. Alexander also brings complementary portfolio management experience and investment expertise to the team.
“We would like to thank Sam for his contribution to the success of Fidelity and wish him all the very best in his retirement. He has successfully navigated the highs and lows of financial markets, while maintaining a consistent investment approach which has delivered strong long-term outperformance for his clients.”