The company said Ng’s new role has been created in recognition of the growing importance of multi-asset investment strategies internationally.
Based in Hong Kong, Ng reports locally to James Chen, head of institutional business & relationship management, international, and functionally to Boston-based Jeffrey Santerre, senior managing director and global head, portfolio specialist team.
According to Chen, in a changing macro economic scenario, there is need for new ways to structure portfolios that can offer potentially attractive returns with a desirable risk profile.
“We believe that multi-asset investment solutions will be key to meeting this challenge,” Chen said.
“Ng will leverage her extensive investments advisory experience to communicate the advantages of solutions utilising a wide variety of domestic and offshore public and private assets. These solutions will be of interest to investors looking for absolute returns, wishing to receive a sustainable income stream or simply aiming to achieve higher returns than current bank rates.”
Ng joins Manulife Asset Management from Mercer Investments with almost 15 years of professional experience . She previously worked with Watson Wyatt Hong Kong, Mercer Human Resources Consulting and Watson Wyatt Australia.
“We are seeing increased international interest in our firm’s Asian, US and global equity and fixed income capabilities. Members of the portfolio specialist team play a key role in bringing our competitive offerings in these asset classes to the market as we grow our institutional and retail client bases,” Santerre said,
Manulife Asset Management expanded its asset allocation coverage into the international market in 2012, when the global portfolio solutions group appointed a head of asset allocation, Asia, based in the company’s Hong Kong office.
As of 30 September, the portfolio solutions group manages over US$108bn under a diverse array of multi-asset class strategies, including target-risk, target-date, alternative asset allocation and/or other customised strategies for institutional and other investors, including US$5bn managed out of Asia.
In addition to meeting market demand for solutions with enhanced risk and return profiles in the current investment environment, Manulife Asset Management’s Aging Asia research series highlights the fact that multi-asset solutions are likely to see increasing demand from pension schemes interested in growing assets for their membership base while also providing a recurring income stream for retired members.
