Manulife Investment Management further strengthens emerging markets capabilities

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Aug 18, 2021, 17:10 ET

TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945

Appoints Bryony Deuchars, CFA, senior investment analyst and Talib Saifee, portfolio manager, to its emerging markets equity strategies

BOSTON and LONDON, Aug. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife Investment Management today announced the appointment of Bryony Deuchars, CFA, senior investment analyst, to its emerging markets equity strategies effective 16 August 2021. In addition, Talib Saifee is being promoted to portfolio manager on the strategies, effective 1 September 2021. These appointments reflect Manulife Investment Management's commitment to providing resources to best serve its clients and a planned growth strategy to meet the demand anticipated for the asset class. Across emerging markets equity and debt, including Asia ex-Japan, Manulife Investment Management oversees more than $90 billion in assets under management for investors.¹

Bryony Deuchars, CFA, managing director, senior investment analyst, Manulife Investment Management (CNW Group/Manulife Investment Management)

Talib Saifee, portfolio manager, Manulife Investment Management (CNW Group/Manulife Investment Management)

"We view our capabilities in emerging markets, both debt and equity, as one of our competitive advantages in the marketplace," said Christopher P. Conkey, CFA, global head of public markets at Manulife Investment Management. "This announcement, along with our recent appointment of Endre Pedersen as chief investment officer for global emerging market fixed income, highlights our commitment to providing the highest level of service to our clients in these asset classes. Coupled with our vast footprint across 10 markets in Asia, we believe we're well positioned to deliver strong results for years to come in this important and growing segment for investors."

Bryony Deuchars, CFA, has joined the firm as managing director, senior investment analyst. Bryony brings more than 20 years of professional experience, most recently serving as a global emerging markets portfolio manager for Mirabaud Asset Management. Previously, she spent time as an emerging markets portfolio manager for Aviva Investors and as an EMEA analyst at Schroders for 10 years, and earlier, at WestAM. Bryony started her career at Deloitte & Touche, where she qualified as a Chartered Accountant.

"We're delighted to add an investment professional with Bryony's expertise and pedigree. Having spent the majority of her professional career focused on emerging markets, I am confident that she will make an immediate contribution to our team," said Kathryn Langridge, senior portfolio manager, emerging markets equity, Manulife Investment Management. "Additionally, Bryony's experience in relation to integrating ESG principles into the analytic process will fit seamlessly into our own approach, which focuses on identifying best-in-class sustainable growth companies."

Talib Saifee, formerly a senior investment analyst on the team, is joining Kathryn Langridge and Philip Ehrmann, senior portfolio manager, as a portfolio manager. Talib joined the firm in 2019 and has more than 20 years of professional experience. Prior to Manulife Investment Management, he was most recently an analyst and fund manager for HSBC.

"Since joining our team, Talib has been an excellent contributor to our investment process. His appointment to the portfolio management team underscores the strength and depth of talent we have built. It also exemplifies the multigenerational structure we have crafted to ensure long-term continuity of our time-tested investment philosophy for our clients," Ehrmann noted.

The Manulife Investment Management emerging markets equity team was formed in 2014 when Kathryn Langridge and Philip Ehrmann joined the firm from Jupiter Asset Management. The team's flagship emerging markets equity strategy's 10-year performance ranks in the 12th percentile, according to eVestment Alliance.² Most recently, Kathryn was named as one of the top 20 female managers in the United States by Citywire.³

¹ As of June 30, 2021 and includes nearly $3 billion in diversified emerging market equity strategies

²eVestment's Global Emerging Markets All Cap Core Equity universe as of June 30, 2021: 3yr: 9%, 5yr: 13%, 10yr: 12% and since inception on December 1, 2010: 12%. eVestment's Global Emerging Markets All Cap Core Equity universe includes Global Emerging Markets equity products that primarily invest in a mixture of growth and value all capitalization stocks. Common benchmarks for this universe include the MSCI EM IMI and MSCI EM.

³Citywire, as of April 30, 2021. Top 20 female fund managers in the U.S. award criteria: highest levels of risk-adjusted returns over the past three years and top-quartile absolute returns in their particular investment disciplines over that period.

About Manulife Investment Management

Manulife Investment Management is the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 18 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement.

As of June 30, 2021, Manulife Investment Management's assets under management and administration, including assets managed for Manulife's other segments, totaled CAD$1.0 trillion (US$834 billion). Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

SOURCE Manulife Investment Management