Less than two months after Neuberger Berman became independent, the New York City-based asset manager is losing one of its top executives. Alison Deans, Neuberger Berman's CIO for equities, is leaving the firm to start her own business, Neuberger president Joe Amato confirmed to The MFWire. Amato will take over her duties when she departs at the end of the month.

Deans could not be reached for comment.

Just last month, Deans was one of the senior executives who met with reporters at a luncheon hosted by Neuberger at its Manhattan headquarters to herald its newly independent status.

At the May 20 luncheon, Neuberger CEO George Walker told The MFWire that Neuberger will be focused on adding alpha, adding that the ability to create alpha will stem from strong and experienced investment management teams. Being part of a management-owned business, he said, can incent investment teams to stay on.

The high-profile Deans --she was a regular panelist on the PBS show Wall Street Week with Louis Rukeyser for several years and in 2000 was named to People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful list -- oversees the institutional equities business, private asset management and equities research. She does not manage money at the firm.

Deans, who remains visible in the media, earlier served as CIO for Lehman Brothers private asset management. She joined Lehman in 2004 following a stint as CFO of commercial banking at Bank One. She previously spent 10 years as a financial analyst, of which seven were with Smith Barney and three with Kidder Peabody.

Post-Neuberger Berman, Deans will be creating an advisor platform for manager selection and asset allocation for high net worth advisors, according to Amato.

Amato told The MFWire he would "envision us [Neuberger] being a good client of hers." 

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