Columbia Management Group, a unit of FleetBoston, has named Cornelia Kiley to head its new national sales team to market institutional investment products to both current and prospective clients with over $200 million in assets, Kiley told the MutualFundWire.com. Kiley will hold the title of managing director.

She will report to Robert Birnbaum, managing director and head of institutional marketing and distribution. Kiley joins the firm from Lend Lease Real Estate Investments, where she served as chief marketing officer.

"The team is 90% there in terms of starting structure. A lot of the Liberty Financial people were elevated to this team. We have pretty good coverage in all of the distribution channels with a n exception or two," she reported.

Kiley also reported that the sales team will be focusing, at first, on three areas: the consultant channel, the public funds arena, and Taft-Hartley plans. The team will also be targeting endowments and foundations.

"We have seen a growing momentum among institutional investors, especially in the last quarter of 2001," Kiley contended. "We see renewed interest in investing. There is capital on the move."

The firm acquired Liberty Financial in November. 

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