TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK:
945
DUBLIN and LONDON, May 19,
2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Manulife Investment
Management announced today the authorisation of its Irish
entity, Manulife Investment Management (Ireland) Limited, as an Alternative Investment
Fund Manager (AIFM), enabling it to provide management company
services to alternative investment funds (AIFs) in accordance with
the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive
(AIFMD).1 Manulife Investment Management Ireland's
authorisation as an AIFM, effective 15 April
2021, enables the passporting and sale of private markets
funds to professional investors across the European Economic Area,
and is a major milestone in driving the expansion and offering of
Manulife Investment Management's private markets investment
capabilities within Europe.
With more than €98 billion in private markets assets
globally,2 Manulife Investment Management's
capabilities are offered across private equity and credit, real
estate, infrastructure, timberland, and agriculture to
institutional and high-net-worth clients.
"Achieving this license is a critical milestone to further
extend the reach of our global private markets business and is a
strategic opportunity for European investors seeking
access to the diversification and the potential benefits of private
asset exposures," said Paul R.
Lorentz, president & CEO, Manulife Investment
Management.
Andrew G. Arnott, head of wealth
and asset management, Manulife Investment Management, United States and Europe added, "According to ESMA, the European
AIF segment is nearly €5.8 trillion – or 40% of the total EU fund
industry.* The AIFM authorisation further demonstrates our
commitment to expanding investment options for clients in the
region in a market where demand continues to grow."
Manulife Investment Management will offer these capabilities
across Europe with an initial
focus on Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
"Manulife Investment Management offers European investors one of
the most diverse sets of private market capabilities in the
industry with investment expertise in private equity, private
credit and real assets," said Stephen J.
Blewitt, global head of private markets, Manulife Investment
Management. "We are seeing an increased demand for private assets
due to the continued low yield environment and we are focused on
meeting the needs of investors who may want to take advantage of
our decades of experience managing illiquid assets."
Manulife Investment Management has recently hired two new
roles which, in addition to its existing global team, help to
support the expansion of its private markets offering. Christoph Schumacher, global head of real
assets, and Alex Catterick, global
head of high-net-worth strategy for private markets, were onboarded
to build strategy, and manage the development, launch and growth of
new products designed for investors interested in private
assets.
Across Europe, Manulife
Investment Management has a team of more than 75 investment,
product, operations, risk, marketing and distribution and
compliance professionals in Copenhagen, Dublin, London, and Zurich.
###
- Authorisation of the AIFM license by the Central Bank of
Ireland is not an endorsement or
guarantee nor is the Central Bank of Ireland responsible for the contents of this
press release.
- AUM information, on a fair value basis, represents real estate
equity and debt, infrastructure, private equity and credit, private
placements, oil and gas, timber and agriculture assets managed by
Manulife IM on behalf of the Manulife General Account and
$27.3B for external clients (which
includes $294M of unfunded committed
capital of Manulife IM Private Markets (US) LLC). The
methodologies used to compile the total assets under management are
subject to change and may not reflect regulatory AUM as reported on
certain affiliates' Form ADV.
*ESMA report values EU Alternative Investment Funds at €5.8
trillion (europa.eu) January 10, 2020
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 17 countries and territories. 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 March 31, 2021, Manulife
Investment Management had CAD $764.1
billion (US $607.6 billion) in
assets under management and administration. Not all offerings
are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information,
please visit manulifeim.com.
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Media contact: Elizabeth
Bartlett, Manulife Investment Management US and Europe, +1 857-210-2286,
elizabeth_bartlett@manulife.com