Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are big business right now, and experts in this hot pocket of the financial world are in great demand. Last week, Barclays Global Investors lured Noel Archard from their direct competitor, Vanguard Group, to head up its U.S. product-development team. This hire underscores the importance of the ETF product-development pipeline because whichever firm wins the race to market usually garners the most assets, reports John Spence with MarketWatch.

In regards to the executive musical chairs, "the moving doesn’t automatically say people are unhappy, but they’re looking for more money and more interesting positions where they’re able to find a niche in exactly what they like doing."