UPDATE 2-Gartmore hires GAM's John Bennett

* Investment director leaves Julius Baer unit after 16 yrs

* Will take over Roger Guy's funds at Gartmore

* Guy and Guillaume Rambourg will turn focus to hedge funds (Adds comments, details)

LONDON, June 18 (Reuters) - UK fund manager Gartmore [GRTMO.UL] said on Thursday it has hired John Bennett, investment director of Julius Baer's (BAER.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) hedge fund arm GAM, as senior portfolio manager for European equities.

Bennett will join Gartmore at the end of the year, reporting to Chief Investment Officer Dominic Rossi.

At GAM, Bennett manages the GAM Star Continental European Equity Fund. A GAM spokeswoman said the firm was not close to naming a successor for Bennett and played down the prospects of other managers following in his wake.

She also said Bennett's departure was not sparked by any change in GAM's strategy.

Last month Julius Baer split its private banking and asset management units, after suffering negative publicity and a share price hit from heavy outflows at GAM. [ID:nLK568689]

At Gartmore, Bennett will assume lead management responsibility for the Gartmore European Select Opportunities and Gartmore SICAV Continental European Funds.