Manulife Investment Management's intentional globalization efforts expand best practices across regions and reinforce its Above Average Parent Rating.
Manulife Investment Management, the asset-management arm of Canadian-based insurer Manulife Financial, has a well-established global footprint that spans four continents and managed over CAD 1 trillion in assets as of September 2024. The firm completed a significant reorganization that brought together its investment and wealth management groups into a single, global segment and established better cross-collaboration across markets. Global teams across three channels—retail, retirement, and institutional—support regional business heads to ensure that best practices are implemented in each market with a consideration for specific regional needs.
The integration identified redundancies in operational roles that led to headcount reductions in 2023 and 2024. The investment group was not immune as changes were made to address areas of weakness and improve communication across teams. Industry veteran Colin Purdie joined in December 2023 as CIO of public markets when firm veteran Chris Conkey retired, sparking continued improvements in collaboration as well as an increased focus on portfolio construction and risk management.
Manager research remains a strength with an established history of prioritizing best-in-class managers regardless of firm affiliation. Subadvisors are prominent in the firm's US-based John Hancock fund lineup, while a long-standing partnership with Mawer fills a gap in the Canadian-based shelf. In Asia, the firm primarily leverages internal teams, which have experienced some turnover but are overall solid.
Note: This share class' Parent Pillar rating is analyst-driven, as its Branding Name, John Hancock (Branding Name ID: BN0000096A), is covered by Morningstar Manager Research.
United States