Aberdeen Group plc announced that Michael O’Brien, a non-executive director of the company, died unexpectedly on Saturday, May 24. 

O’Brien joined the Aberdeen board in 2022 and served as a member of the Group Audit Committee and the Group Risk and Capital Committee. 

Aberdeen chairman Douglas Flint said: “Our deepest condolences go out to Mike’s family and friends.

“He will be sorely missed by all his colleagues not only for his insights, wisdom and deep industry knowledge but for his humility, his collegiality and perhaps most of all his warm and generous personality and sense of humour.”

O’Brien’s executive career spanned senior roles across the financial industry.

At JP Morgan Asset Management, he was Co-Head, Global Investment Solutions and, previously, Chief Executive Officer of the firm’s EMEA business.

Prior to this, he was Head of Institutional Business for EMEA at Blackrock/Barclays Global Investors and an investment and risk consultant at Towers Watson.

He also previously served on the board of the UK NAPF and was a member of the UK NAPF Defined Benefit Council.

O’Brien was a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries.