AMP Capital Investors and ipac will combine their manager research teams, leading to the departure of four senior portfolio managers.

The measure is the result of the merger between AMP and Axa Asia-Pacific, which triggered a review of the multi-manager research teams in October.

"As an outcome of the review, we have decided to combine the manager research teams from ipac investment services and AMP Capital to create one integrated manager research team," ipac chief investment officer Jeff Rogers said in a letter to clients.

"This team will support the portfolio managers in the construction and ongoing management of the diversified multi-manager funds for AMP, Axa, ipac and Tynan Mackenzie."

Rogers will remain responsible for the ipac, Axa and Tynan Mackenzie portfolios, while AMP Capital investment director Sean Henaghan remains responsible for the AMP Capital multi-manager portfolios.

But AMP Capital senior portfolio managers Van Athukorala and John Zavone will leave the company on 30 March 2012.

Ipac senior investment specialists Simon Romijn and Guneet Rana will also depart in March next year.

The combined manager research team would be expanded by three roles, which were yet to be filled, Rogers said.

The team will be split into two groups: a listed multi-manager group led by head of listed multi-manager Tanya Debakhapouve and an alternatives group led by head of alternatives Suzanne Tavill.

"The creation of an integrated research team will deepen the focus applied to the existing multi-manager portfolios and broaden the range of researched investment opportunities," Rogers said.

The new team will have 13 staff in total.

"It is important to note that the changes do not impact on the way the Axa multi-manager portfolios will be delivered," Rogers said.

"There is no change to the objectives for any of these portfolios and the underlying strategies and managers remain the same."