The investment management firm that is part of New York-listed Legg Mason has created a senior position in Europe.

ClearBridge Investments has appointed Ryan Virag as a client portfolio manager in London as part of its growth strategy in Europe.

In the newly-created role, Virag, who joined ClearBridge in 2012, will serve as a local investment management resource, while helping to build awareness of the firm and its offering among investors, consultants and financial advisors.

Prior to ClearBridge, he was an investment strategist for global and international equity portfolios at Oppenheimer Funds. He has 15 years of investment experience, having also worked within the merchant banking division of Goldman Sachs and at Morgan Stanley.

“We see significant opportunity to expand sales and awareness of our investment capabilities globally. More and more international investors are seeking established active managers with a proven track record,” said Terrence Murphy, chief executive of ClearBridge Investments. 

Aside from its New York base, ClearBridge has offices in Baltimore and Wilmington. As of the end of 2015, the firm had $107.5 billion in assets under management.