Hong Kong (August 4, 2021)—Manulife Investment Management today released its semiannual Global Intelligence report, a firmwide outlook highlighting notable perspectives from its investment teams. Key themes in the report include the rising role of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, including biodiversity and stewardship in macroeconomic valuation and the creation of value across the asset class spectrum. The investment teams also describe the case for China bonds as a stand-alone asset class, as well as the role of real assets in the deepening search for yield and income security in retirement.
“One enduring outcome of the past year is the importance of sustainability,” said Paul R. Lorentz, president and CEO of Manulife Investment Management. “Against this backdrop, we devote much of the latest edition of Global Intelligence to examining those sustainability scenarios and their impact on investments and investment decisions.”
Christopher P. Conkey, CFA, global head of public markets at Manulife Investment Management, said, “Sustainable investing is no longer an option. It is a necessity—for us, for the global economy, and for our investors. We’ve made significant progress in the past year and aim to consider sustainability in everything we do as a business, across both traditional and alternative asset classes.”
Stephen J. Blewitt, global head of private markets at Manulife Investment Management, added, “Sustainable investing is essential for illiquid private assets that we manage over a long time horizon. We take a critical look at biodiversity and the tools we have at our disposal. Further, findings from our private equity team reveal how better stewardship can unlock value in private equity.”
Notable asset class themes, shifts, and guidance within Global Intelligence include:
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 June 30, 2021, Manulife Investment Management’s assets under management and administration, including assets managed for Manulife’s other segments, totaled CAD $1.0 trillion (US $834 billion). Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.
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Carl Wong
Manulife Investment Management Asia
+852 2510 3180
carl_kk_wong@manulifeam.com