BOSTON (AP) -- Fidelity Investments is bringing together its individual investments and workplace savings operations in a reorganization that also carves out Fidelity's employer human resources services into a separate unit.

The moves follow a flurry of recent management changes at the nation's largest mutual fund company that have left unanswered the question of who will succeed 77-year-old Edward C. "Ned" Johnson III as chief executive and chairman.

While the reorganization confirmed by Fidelity on Thursday gives Johnson's daughter Abigail Johnson expanded responsibilities, the changes bear the imprint of Rodger Lawson, a Fidelity manager in the late 1980s who later joined Prudential Financial Inc.

The 60-year-old returned to Fidelity in August to become president of the holding company's far-flung businesses whose more than 44,000 employees provide financial services to 23 million individuals.

Lawson has quickly made an impact at Fidelity, which in recent years faced growing competition from The Vanguard Group and Capital Group's American Funds.

"I think what he (Lawson) has done is streamline the organization to react quicker and operate more efficiently," said Eric Kobren, executive editor of the Fidelity Insight, a Wellesley-based independent newsletter that follows Fidelity. "I think Rodger is driving these changes certainly with Ned's blessing and approval. Ned knew something had to be done, but in terms of the nitty-gritty and design, I think this is part of Rodger's job as president."

The changes were detailed in an internal announcement by Lawson to Fidelity staff on Wednesday, said Anne Crowley, a spokeswoman for Boston-based Fidelity. The reorganization was first reported Thursday by The Boston Globe.

Fidelity has traditionally had separate business units to oversee its savings products geared toward individuals, and the pension and 401(k) business through which it manages retirement plans for companies.

Under the reorganization, a new unit called Personal and Workplace Investing will be created under Abigail Johnson's leadership, Crowley said.

Three managers heading retirement services, product marketing and distribution activities such as phone, online and branch office operations will report to Johnson, who, in turn, will report to Lawson.

Kobren, of Fidelity Insight, said the changes will yield "a much more cohesive operation. It's not going to be a situation where the 401(k) management people are separate and different from the retail sales people."

Fidelity's human resources business, which provides such services as payroll and health insurance administration for companies, will become a separate unit. Abigail Johnson previously oversaw those activities, but the unit will now be led by Pat Goepel.

Fidelity's Crowley said the company expects the unit to become increasingly important.

"For that reason, and because the model in this business is very different from our financial services activities, we believe HR Services will benefit from being run as a separate business," she said.

Fidelity also is creating a new unit to oversee its varied financial services businesses with institutions such as banks and insurers.

The moves follow last month's sudden departure of Ellyn McColgan, who had risen through Fidelity's ranks since arriving at the company in 1990. She was seen by many as a rival of Abigail Johnson's to replace Ned Johnson in leading the privately held firm.

In April, Fidelity announced another management reshuffling that included the surprise retirement of another potential CEO successor, Chief Operating Officer Robert Reynolds.

Ned Johnson has given no indication when he'll step down from the chairman and chief executive posts he's held since 1977. The Johnson family has run Fidelity since its founding in 1946. It has a huge presence on Wall Street, with $1.5 trillion in managed assets.

Some have suggested Ned Johnson may be staying on this long to try and turn investment performance around before leaving.

The company has seen only middling returns in recent years from key mutual funds that fueled its growth in the late 1980s and early '90s.

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