Meriten Investment Management, BNY Mellon’s German-based investment manager, has named Holger Fahrinkrug as chief economist, following the departure of Dr Holger Sandte.

Fahrinkrug will report to chief executive Werner Taiber and is due to start in February. He joins Meriten from Portigon/WestLB, where he was chief economist and head of research. Prior to joining Portigon, Fahrinkrug was a senior economist at UBS’ German office and a member of the bank’s European economics team.

Mitchell Harris, president of BNY Mellon Investment Management, said

Germany is a “key market” for the success of its European business.

Meriten Investment Management was renamed in December, having previously operated as WestLB Mellon Asset Management KAG. While Meriten Investment Management no longer carries the term “Kapitalanlagegesellschaft” (regulated investment company under German law) in the name, it still functions as such and will provide the same services. The firm had €26.3 billion (about $35.2 billion) in assets under management at end-October 2012.