Boston-based Columbia Management, Bank of America’s investment management arm, has promoted Colin Moore to chief investment officer.

Mr Moore will expand his responsibilities as head of equity to provide direction for all investment activities at Columbia.

Additionally, he will have responsibility for spearheading the development and implementation of Columbia's proprietary alternative investment product offering. He will report to president Keith Banks.

Since joining Columbia as head of equities in 2002 from Putnam Investments, Mr Moore has led a team of approximately 185 professionals that today manages about $269 billion in equity investments.

At 30 June 2007 Columbia Management and its affiliates had $566 billion in assets under management.