MOVES-Aberdeen's CIO Anne Richards to take helm at rival M&G Investments

* M&G (Shanghai: 603899.SS - news) 's Michael McLintock to retire

* Move to occur later in 2016, subject to clearances

* Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) in Prudential (SES: K6S.SI - news) lead FTSE 100 lower after news (Adds details)

By Simon Jessop and Carolyn Cohn

LONDON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Aberdeen Asset Management (Other OTC: ABDNF - news) Chief Investment Officer Anne Richards is to take over as chief executive at rival M&G Investments, the fund arm of insurer Prudential later this year, following the retirement of M&G's veteran CEO Michael McLintock, the firms said on Monday.

The move, to be completed later in 2016, will see Richards cement her place as one of the most high-profile women in the UK financial services industry, having overseen investment strategy at emerging markets-focused Aberdeen during a period of intense market turmoil during which investors have continued to pull out money from its funds.

She (Munich: SOQ.MU - news) joined Aberdeen - which manages 291 billion pounds in assets - after it bought Edinburgh Fund Managers in 2003, and had previously worked at JP Morgan Investment Management and Mercury Asset Management.

The move follows a decision by McLintock to retire after 19 years at the company, Prudential said in a separate statement, during which time he had helped the group grow assets under management to 248 billion pounds.

It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) is the latest in a series of senior departures at Prudential since Mike Wells took over as CEO from Tidjane Thiam last summer. These include the surprise departure of UK chief Jackie Hunt and chief risk officer Pierre-Olivier Bouee.

Shares in Prudential were down 3.4 percent at 1,320 pence by 1021 GMT, while Aberdeen was down 1.74 percent at 242 pence, two of the day's biggest fallers in the FTSE 100.

After joining M&G in 1992, McLintock oversaw its acquisition by Prudential in 1999 and led a period of strong growth that helped him rise to be one of the industry's highest paid executives earning more than 5 million pounds a year.

Richards' basic salary would be 400,000 pounds, the group said in a statement but her bonus could be 600 percent of base or 0.75 percent of M&G's profit on an IFRS accounting basis, whichever is smaller.

As a result of Richards' move, the chief investment officer role at Aberdeen would be split, a company spokesperson said.

Current Global Head of Alternatives, Andrew McCaffery, will take over as head of the company's Solutions business, which includes multi-asset, alternatives and quantitative investing, Aberdeen said in its statement.

McCaffery will report to Hugh Young, who also heads up the group's equities, fixed income and property businesses. Andrew Laing, the group's deputy chief executive, will assume responsibility for the operations in EMEA, Aberdeen said. ($1 = 0.7 pounds) (Editing by Sinead Cruise, Greg Mahlich)