Russell Investments has seen its director of superannuation poached after 16 years with the company.

Mark Thompson, a fixture on Mellbourne’s corporate superannuation scene, will join Mercer on April 18.

Russell’s long-time director of superannuation will rejoin his former boss, Steve Schubert, Russell’s former managing director of super who in January left after 23 years to take a new role as Mercer’s enterprise-wide client management leader.

Schubert said yesterday he was “delighted to hear the news” of Thompson’s appointment, when it was relayed to him by Mercer managing director David Anderson.

He said he was precluded from having any part in the appointment of former colleagues.

When Thompson arrives, Schubert will lead a team of four consultants and actuaries – also including Jane Tarrant and Ken Gilbert – which can have “deep conversations” with clients about the full range of Mercer’s services, including its human resources consulting.

Geoff Peck, Russell’s managing director of corporate superannuation, said: “We are actively recruiting for additional hires to deepen resources and further expand our corporate superannuation business.”