One of Canada’s largest insurance companies is beefing up its asset management business with the creation of a new role intended to drive sales globally.
Manulife Asset Management announced Tuesday that it has appointed Claude Chene as Global Head of Distribution, effective July 1, 2015. Based in London, England, Chene will report to Kai Sotorp, President and CEO of Manulife Asset Management and Global Head of Wealth and Asset Management for Manulife.
"We are delighted to welcome Claude to Manulife Asset Management," said Mr. Sotorp. "He brings tremendous experience and accomplishments to the role and will play an integral part in further establishing and enhancing our brand as a premier asset manager across global markets. In past roles, he has demonstrated his ability to strengthen distribution teams. Claude's talent, intellect, and integrity complement our already strong and diverse management team.”
In this new position, Mr. Chene will join the firm's Executive Committee, and be responsible for creating the distribution vision and strategy, as well as overseeing sales and relationship management activity for Manulife Asset Management on a global basis.
"Expanding our distribution capability follows the build-out of our investment teams and Claude will, in addition to further building on our institutional distribution success and capabilities in Asia and North America, lead our institutional and wholesale expansion into Europe, Middle East and Latin American markets,” said Sotorp. “He will also grow our financial institutions and sovereign wealth fund distribution capabilities."
Most recently, Mr. Chene spent almost three years as Global Head of Distribution and Board Member for Ignis Asset Management in London. Prior to that, he served for 13 years at Alliance Bernstein in a number of roles in New York and London, including, in London, as Chief Executive Officer, Europe, and Head of Institutional Sales. He is a graduate of Brown University with a BSc in Applied Mathematics and Economics.
