Manulife Investment Management aligns capabilities across regions under the newly created role of Global Emerging Market Equities CIO

Rhea-AI Summary

Manulife Investment Management has announced organizational changes to enhance its equity operations by aligning Asia and Emerging Markets teams. Charlie Dutton has been appointed as Chief Investment Officer, Global Emerging Market Equities, overseeing US$25 billion in AUM across Asia and emerging markets equity strategies. The firm manages one of the largest equity teams in Asia, with over 90 investment professionals across 10 markets. The restructuring aims to improve research sharing and investment decision-making by leveraging local resources and insights. Additionally, Kathryn Langridge will retire in October 2025, while Ronald Chan is departing from his role as CIO, Asia ex-Japan Equity.

Positive

• Management of substantial US$25 billion in AUM across Asia and emerging markets equity strategies
• Large presence in Asia with 90+ investment professionals across 10 markets
• Strategic alignment of Asia and Emerging Markets teams to enhance operational efficiency

Negative

• Departure of two senior executives: retirement of Head of Emerging Markets Equity and departure of CIO, Asia ex-Japan Equity

Insights

Market Research Analyst

The organizational restructuring of Manulife Investment Management's equity teams represents a strategic consolidation of US$25 billion in AUM across Asia and emerging markets. While management changes typically aren't market-moving events, this realignment has strategic significance due to several factors:

• Integration of Asia ex-Japan and emerging market equity capabilities under unified leadership
• Enhanced research sharing and decision-making processes across 10 markets
• Leveraging of local insights through 90+ investment professionals in Asia

The timing aligns with broader industry trends of asset managers strengthening their emerging markets presence, particularly in Asia. However, the actual impact on fund performance and AUM growth will take time to materialize. For investors, this represents a neutral organizational change that may yield long-term benefits through improved operational efficiency and investment capabilities.

TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife Investment Management today announced enhancement to its equity organization in leveraging expertise across its Asia and Emerging Markets teams to improve investment experience for its clients.  Charlie Dutton, an equity investment leader with substantial experience in Asia, is named to the newly created role of Chief Investment Officer, Global Emerging Market Equities. In this new role, Charlie will oversee and align our Asia ex-Japan and emerging market equity capabilities, ensuring we leverage local resources and insights across the organization.

Manulife Investment Management has operated in emerging markets for more than a century. Today, it has one of the largest equity teams based in Asia with over 90 investment professionals located across 10 markets in the region. By combining local insight with deep investment expertise, Manulife Investment Management will be able to leverage deeper information advantage over other asset managers based outside of Asia. The combined Emerging Market Equities organization manages over US$25 billion in AUM across Asia and emerging markets equity strategies.

"Collaboration and engagement have always been at the heart of our investment culture, and our emerging markets and Asia equity teams have participated in a variety of forums to exchange ideas and insights.  The closer alignment of the Asia equity team with the global Emerging Markets equity organization formalizes the longstanding sharing of ideas and insights between our Asia and our emerging markets equity teams.  We believe this alignment will translate into improved research sharing and investment decision making, and will enhance our ability to create custom-tailored solutions to meet client needs," said Colin Purdie, Global Chief Investment Officer, Public Markets, Manulife Investment Management.

Charlie will be spending a considerable amount of time in Asia with the extensive investment teams across the region in the coming months. He will continue to be based in London, affording him the opportunity to work and communicate with the investment teams in London and across Asia effectively, ensuring connections between each.

Charlie brings more than 27 years of investment experience to this role, including over 25 years of Asia equity investment experience with seven years in Hong Kong as well as South Africa and London. Prior to joining Manulife Investment Management's Emerging Markets Equity team earlier this year, Charlie was a fund manager at Ninety One as part of the Global Quality Capability team that managed assets across five strategies.

Before Ninety One, Charlie was a founding partner at Coupland Cardiff, an Asian investment firm, where he spent 10 years managing Asian focused equity funds. Prior to that, he was based in Hong Kong and served as director of Asia-Pacific research at JPMorgan and as a Hong Kong/China consumer analyst at JF Securities. Charlie started his career at HSBC based in Hong Kong as a HK/China Analyst.

"We are confident Charlie's deep investment experience, including over 25 years investing in Asia equity, makes him ideally suited to take on the role of CIO, Emerging Markets Equities. We look forward to his leadership, combined with the support of our Asia investment teams, in building upon our strong foundation in the region, and leading our Asia business into the future," said Steve Medina, Chief Investment Officer, Global Equities, Manulife Investment Management.

At the same time, Manulife Investment Management announced that Kathryn Langridge, Senior Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager, and Head of Emerging Markets Equity team, has shared her intention to retire effective October 31, 2025, after an impressive investment career spanning over 40 years.  Meanwhile, Ronald Chan, CIO, Asia ex-Japan Equity, is departing Manulife Investment Management.

"The alignment of the Asia and the Emerging Markets equity teams is a testament to the critical role Asia plays in today's equity markets, and further draws attention to the deep pool of talent in Manulife's investment organization," said Charlie Dutton, Chief Investment Officer, Global Emerging Market Equities. "By globalizing and strengthening this capability, Manulife Investment Management is better positioned to deliver for its clients while expanding the pipeline of research and insight the Emerging Markets equity team can deliver for other capabilities at the firm on a global basis."

About Manulife Wealth & Asset Management

As part of Manulife Financial Corporation, Manulife Wealth & Asset Management provides global investment, financial advice, and retirement plan services to 19 million individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Our mission is to make decisions easier and lives better by empowering people today to invest for a better tomorrow. As a committed partner to our clients and as a responsible steward of investor capital, we offer a heritage of risk management, deep expertise across public and private markets, and comprehensive retirement plan services. We seek to provide better investment and impact outcomes and to help people confidently save and invest for a more secure financial future. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

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SOURCE Manulife Investment Management

FAQ

What is Charlie Dutton's new role at Manulife Investment Management (MFC)?

Charlie Dutton has been appointed as Chief Investment Officer, Global Emerging Market Equities, overseeing and aligning Asia ex-Japan and emerging market equity capabilities.

How much assets under management (AUM) does Manulife's (MFC) Emerging Market Equities organization manage?

The combined Emerging Market Equities organization manages over US$25 billion in AUM across Asia and emerging markets equity strategies.

When will Kathryn Langridge retire from Manulife Investment Management (MFC)?

Kathryn Langridge, Senior Managing Director and Head of Emerging Markets Equity team, will retire effective October 31, 2025.