Jupiter confirms manager shake-up on $2 billion fund from Oct. 7

LONDON (Reuters) - Jupiter Fund Management said on Wednesday Alex Savvides will take over running its 1.6 billion pounds ($2.04 billion) UK Special Situations Fund on Oct. 7, with current manager Ben Whitmore delaying his exit by several months to complete an orderly handover.

Whitmore was due to leave the UK fund firm to kickstart his own boutique fund management firm this summer, but will now remain in his role at Jupiter until at least Oct. 31, Jupiter said.

Savvides will be joining former JO Hambro Capital Management colleagues Stephanie Geary and Siddharth Sukumar, who are due to take roles working alongside Savvides at Jupiter in late July.

Given these timings, Jupiter said it would communicate its longer-term plan in relation to the management of the 790 million pounds Jupiter Global Value Unit Trust, also managed by Whitmore, later this year.

As previously announced, Jupiter will assess whether it would be in the best interests of clients in that fund for it to be managed by Whitmore's new firm, as a delegated investment manager of Jupiter.

($1 = 0.7833 pounds)

(Reporting By Sinead Cruise, editing by Huw Jones)