AllianceBernstein is close to appointing a replacement for head of intermediary relationships, the role performed by Bruce Garratt until he was promoted to a role in the US earlier this year, and a Kiwi-born economist is said to have been chosen.

It is understood Brigette Leckie, who recently followed several years heading investment markets research for Perpetual with a much shorter stint as an Asia-Pacific equities investment specialist at AMP Capital Investors, has been chosen for the role subject to contract finalisation.

AllianceBernstein’s head of marketing and communications in Australia, Roger Hogan, said a decision had been made on the important distribution role, but he would not comment until it had been finalised.

Before joining Perpetual in 2001, Leckie was the chief economist for BNP Paribas. prior to that she held senior economic positions with BZW Australia and New Zealand (now Royal Bank of Scotland), the National Bank of New Zealand and the New Zealand Treasury.

In 2000, Leckie had a one-year term on the Economics Standing Committee for the NSW State Chamber of Commerce.