Manulife Asset Management Hires New Global Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio Management Team

-- Continues expansion of global equity capabilities

-- Hiring supports growing client interest in global equity strategies

TORONTO, Dec. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Manulife Asset Management today announced it will be adding a new Global Emerging Markets Equity portfolio management team.

Kathryn Langridge and Philip Ehrmann will join the organization, effective December 31, 2014 and January 8, 2015, respectively. Ms. Langridge will be Senior Managing Director, Senior Portfolio Manager, and Head of Global Emerging Markets Equity. Mr. Ehrmann will be Senior Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager, supporting Ms. Langridge.

Based in London, and following FCA regulatory approval, they will manage a global emerging markets equity strategy for institutional clients and certain wealth management businesses of Manulife and John Hancock. The team, who will report to Christopher Conkey, Global Chief Investment Officer, Equity and Fixed Income, will also support other global equity strategies investing in emerging market equity.

"We see enduring interest from our clients around the world in global equity strategies. We're very pleased our clients will now have access to portfolio managers with the exceptional experience and caliber of Kathryn and Philip," said Mr. Conkey. "Their disciplined approach and rigorous, bottom-up research process has led to significant alpha generation in global emerging market equity. They will be an excellent fit within our organizational culture."

Ms. Langridge and Mr. Ehrmann will both join the firm from Jupiter Asset Management in London. Ms. Langridge, who joined Jupiter in 2010, is the firm's Fund Management Director responsible for Global Emerging Market Equity funds. Previously, she had been Head of the Global Emerging Markets Equities team at Lloyd George Management. She also worked at INVESCO Perpetual for 17 years, where she had been Head of Asian Investments and Head of International Equity Products. She began her career at the Jardine Group with Jardine Fleming, where she held a number of roles in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and London. She graduated from Cambridge University with a Master of Arts in English Literature.

Mr. Ehrmann, who joined Jupiter in 2006, is also a Fund Director and the firm's Joint Head of Asian Equities. Previously, he was Head of the Pacific and Emerging Markets at Gartmore Investment Management. He began his investment management career at INVESCO, where he rose to be Head of Emerging Market equities. He graduated from the London School of Economics with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Economics.

Manulife Asset Management's new Global Emerging Markets Equity team helps to build out the depth and breadth of the firm's global equity and fixed income teams and expand its strategy offerings.

About Manulife Asset Management
Manulife Asset Management is the global asset management arm of Manulife, providing comprehensive asset management solutions for institutional investors and investment funds in key markets around the world. This investment expertise extends across a broad range of public and private asset classes, as well as asset allocation solutions. As at September 30, 2014, assets under management for Manulife Asset Management were approximately C$309 billion (US$276 billion).

Manulife Asset Management's public markets units have investment expertise across a broad range of asset classes including public equity and fixed income, and asset allocation strategies. Offices with full investment capabilities are located in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In addition, Manulife Asset Management has a joint venture asset management business in China, Manulife TEDA. The public markets units of Manulife Asset Management also provide investment management services to affiliates' retail clients through product offerings of Manulife and John Hancock. John Hancock Asset Management and Declaration Management and Research are units of Manulife Asset Management.

Additional information about Manulife Asset Management may be found at ManulifeAM.com.

About Manulife
Manulife is a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Clients look to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to millions of clients. We also provide asset management services to institutional customers. Funds under management by Manulife and its subsidiaries were approximately C$663 billion (US$591 billion) as at September 30, 2014. Our group of companies operates as Manulife in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock in the United States.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/manulife-asset-management-hires-new-global-emerging-markets-equity-portfolio-management-team-300009565.html

SOURCE Manulife Asset Management