HEAD-TO-HEAD: MFS versus Robeco

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Manager review

Steven Gorham, who has been a manager of the MFS fund since 2002, will be stepping down from the strategy to focus on other MFS offerings, according to Wolfstetter.

While his departure is a “large loss”, Wolfstetter noted that co-manager Nevin Chitkara will continue managing the fund. Chitkara joined the firm in 1997 as an equity analyst and started co-managing the fund in 2006.

In addition, Katherine Cannan joined the fund as a co-manager at the end of December. She joined the firm in 2013 as an equity analyst, and this will be the first time that she will be managing money, Wolfstetter said.

“We believe that despite the upcoming manager transition, the team will remain capable and well-resourced,” she said, adding that the managers are supported by 25 US equity analysts and 36 non-US equity analysts.

Turning to the Robeco fund, Wolfstetter said that its team grew to four in 2018 when sub-advisor Boston Partners added equity analysts David Cohen and Stephanie McGirr to join long-time co-managers Mark Donovan and David Pyle.

“The four now collaborate on all decisions,” she said, adding that the investment team has been very stable. She noted that while the Luxembourg Ucits version of the fund was launched in 2010, the overall strategy was incepted in 1997, which is when Donovan started managing the strategy. Pyle joined as co-manager in 2005.

The managers are supported by 23 fundamental analysts and eight quantitative analysts, she added.

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