Fidelity Actively Searching for Lawson Replacement

Fidelity Investments has begun its search to replace former president Rodger Lawson and has interviewed at least three external candidates for the position over the past few months, Bloomberg reports, citing three people familiar with the search.

As Lawson indicated earlier this year, Fidelity is considering splitting the role in two, with one executive overseeing asset management and the other running the fund giant's brokerage and retirement services. Fidelity may select a president from its nine-member executive committee, Lawson had said in January.

Lawson stepped down from his position, the second-highest after Chairman and CEO Edward C “Ned” Johnson, last month.

Johnson’s daughter, Abigail Johnson, sits on the committee, along with two other executives also rumored to be in the running for the post: Chief Administrative Officer Anthony Ryan and Asset Management Chief Jacques Perold.

Fidelity spokeswoman Anne Crowley declined to comment on the report, saying only, "We're not going to comment on rumors and speculation."

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