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Mr Rossi will be a member of Gartmore’s board and executive committee and answer to Jeff Meyer, president and chief executive.

Mr Meyer took on the responsibilities associated with the chief investment officer role after Quintin Price departed for Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, now BlackRock, in 2005. He will now be focusing purely on his other two roles.

Mr Meyer said: “In Dominic, we have been fortunate to find someone with the experience and management style that will significantly impact our business. He will be a key contributor to our long-term business strategy, which is based on delivering outstanding investment performance, continually enhancing our distribution and client service capabilities and seeking new investment teams and products.”

The move comes as part of a shake-up at Gartmore that has seen the departure of Bambos Hambi, head of multi-manager, and the arrival of Phil Wagstaff, global head of distribution, and Richard Pursglove, head of UK retail.

In June, Mr Wagstaff said Gartmore was trying to reinvigorate its retail product range in particular following a number of years of what he termed limited product development and flat asset-gathering.

He said the retail division was looking at strengthening its UK equity performance and launching new equity income and absolute returns funds as part of its strategy.

Most recently, Gartmore proposed to merge its £2.3m MultiManager UK High Alpha and £3.7m MultiManager Global High Alpha funds to form a MultiManager Absolute Return fund. It already runs absolute return portfolios as part of its hedge fund business.

Mr Wagstaff said: “Dominic will help us develop a new range of retail products suitable for today’s investors, while strengthening our position as a leading provider of specialist long-only and alternative products.”

Mr Rossi was head of equities at Threadneedle since 2007, when he presided over a strong period of performance in Threadneedle’s retail equity range. Threadneedle said Sarah Arkle, chief investment officer, would replace him and review the role’s remit in the interim.

During Mr Rossi’s tenure at Threadneedle, returns were especially impressive in UK equities, a key area for Gartmore. Of Threadneedle’s 12 UK equity funds, 11 were top quartile over one year to 4 August. According to Morningstar, none of Gartmore’s products in the three IMA UK equity sectors were top quartile during that period.

Before becoming head of equities, Mr Rossi was head of global and international equities at Threadneedle.