Columbia Management's mutual fund chief is about to move on. Spokesman Jon Goldstein confirmed that Columbia Funds head Christopher Wilson will soon leave the Boston-based Bank of America subsidiary, with head fund administrator J. Kevin Connaughton filling his old shoes.

Goldstein added Connaughton's move is not a permanent one and confirmed that Connaughton (and Wilson before him) reports to Columbia president Mike Jones. He also revealed that Wilson will stay on for a little while to "help with the transition" and then leave "to pursue other opportunities," though Goldstein did not give any further details on Wilson's plans.

The move was first reported by the Boston Globe's Ross Kerber.

Wilson's impending departure follows news earlier this week that Columbia will keep its own brand in the wake of the Merrill Lynch acquisition, which just closed (see MFWIRE, 1/14/2009).

Goldstein told MFWire that the move "is part of an ongoing series of organizational and leadership announcements being made as Bank of America continues its process of integrating with Merrill Lynch."

Merrill itself no longer has a mutual fund business -- the firm sold Merrill Lynch Investment Management to BlackRock in 2006 (see MFWire, 2/15/2006). 

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