Incoming leader to take over from asset management veteran as part of year-long transition plan
Manulife Investment Management has unveiled details of a succession plan for its longtime chief investment officer, Public Markets.
The firm has announced Colin Purdie will be coming aboard as CIO for its public markets division on December 1. Purdie will be taking the reins from Christopher Conkey, who’s set to cap off 13 years with the firm as he retires at the end of 2024.
“We're excited to have Colin join us and are deeply appreciative of Chris's outstanding contributions to our business,” said Paul Lorentz, president and CEO, Manulife Investment Management.
“With Chris's leadership and guidance, we established a foundation of pursuing consistent returns through both market growth and volatility and expanded our solutions … while also integrating ESG factors into our listed equity and fixed-income portfolios.”
An asset-management veteran with more than 40 years’ experience, Conkey began at MIM in 2010 as CIO, Global Equities. He moved on to lead the Global Fixed Income team in 2013, and then the Multi-Asset Solutions team in 2015. Two years later, he became the firm’s global CIO and head of public markets.
“I'm proud of what we've delivered to clients over the past 13 years, and I'm confident that Colin will continue to build on the foundation that's been established for our teams and our investors,” Conkey said.
When Purdie joins the firm in December, Conkey will be transitioned into a special advisory role to the CEO. For the remainder of his time at MIM, he’ll be working with Purdie on the leadership transition, as well as shift to special projects within the Public Markets unit as well as the broader enterprise.
Purdie will be based in London, and report to Lorentz as he takes leadership of the Public Markets investment team.
He’ll be responsible for all aspects of the public markets investment process, as well as the investment performance of its equity, fixed-income, and solutions-oriented strategies. He’ll also be accountable for developing and implementing the firm’s investment philosophy, approach to risk management, and ESG integration.
Purdie will join MIM after a tenure of more than 10 years at Aviva Investors, where he was most recently CIO, liquid markets.
“I'm honored to join Manulife Investment Management,” Purdie said. “With more than 625 investment professionals … it's well positioned to empower clients' decision-making and help to build savings and retirement portfolios, assist with carbon transition goals, and ultimately help to secure a better tomorrow."
