American Century Investments Opens First Australian Office

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May 02, 2018, 12:00 ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- American Century Investments is further expanding into Australia, opening its first office in Sydney and appointing Michelle Kidd to the position of vice president, Institutional Advisory Group.

Kidd is based in Sydney and reports to Hong Kong-based Elizabeth Trinh, American Century's head of Australia and New Zealand. Trinh has been leading efforts in Australia since joining the firm in 2007.

American Century Investments, with approximately US$170 billion in assets under management as of April 20, 2018, currently manages approximately AUD$2 billion in Australian funds under management, from both institutions and platforms.

Senior Vice President and Chief Client Officer Joe Schultz said the establishment of an Australian office is part of an ongoing growth strategy to expand the firm's global footprint by developing investment solutions for clients and prospects in key markets outside the U.S. This is American Century's third office located outside the U.S., further underscoring its commitment to global markets, according to Schultz.

"Over the past decade, we've seen a strong level of interest in our strategies and approach in the Australian market, which we have been servicing through a team based in Hong Kong," Schultz said. "Our Global Growth Equity strategy is well received by current clients and prospects, and we see significant interest in our Global Small Cap and Emerging Market Equity strategies. We also plan to introduce to the region our Emerging Market Debt and Global Fixed Income capabilities in the coming year."

The Australian investment landscape is one of global significance, and it is important to have the resources and the expertise in place to assist a growing regional investor base, according to Tony Archer, American Century's Asia Pacific business head.

"As a result of this increasing interest in our strategies, we decided to open an office in Australia so there's a dedicated team to work more closely in partnership with our clients, in addition to the Hong Kong-based team," Archer added.

"I'm delighted to welcome Michelle to the firm. Her experience in the institutional market in Australia will be key to continuing to build our capabilities and expanding our offering in the local market. She will work closely with me to firmly establish American Century's presence in Australia," Trinh said.

In the newly created role, Kidd will support the growing demand for the company's offerings in the Australian market. She will be presenting American Century's investment management capabilities to financial intermediaries and institutional investors across Australia.

Kidd has over 12 years of industry experience. She was most recently with global multi-boutique asset management company Affiliated Managers Group (AMG), where she was director of Australian distribution, representing institutional investment capabilities, including equities and alternatives. Prior to that, she was a manager of research and institutional business for Investors Mutual Limited.

Kidd graduated from the University of Sydney with bachelor's and master's degrees in economics and finance.

About American Century Investments
American Century Investments is a leading global asset manager focused on delivering investment results and building long-term client relationships while supporting research that can improve human health and save lives. Founded in 1958, American Century Investments' 1,300 employees serve investment professionals, institutions, corporations and individual investors from offices in New York; London; Hong Kong; Sydney; Mountain View, Calif.; and Kansas City, Mo. Jonathan S. Thomas is president and chief executive officer, and Victor Zhang and David MacEwen serve as co-chief investment officers. Delivering investment results to clients enables American Century Investments to distribute over 40 percent of its dividends to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, a 500-person, non-profit basic biomedical research organization. The Institute owns more than 40 percent of American Century Investments and has received dividend payments of $1.4 billion since 2000. For more information, visit www.americancentury.com.