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Manulife Investment Management and Samsung Asset Management Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Drive Further Growth in Korea

April 9, 2021

Hong Kong and Seoul - Manulife Investment Management and Samsung Asset Management have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in a move that will see both companies collaborate on wide-ranging areas including private asset opportunities, ESG strategies, advisory services, development and distribution of investment products.

The MOU enables Samsung Asset Management to participate in Manulife Investment Management-led private asset strategies and opportunities as well as their advisory and management services in public asset classes such as Asia fixed income strategies.  The MOU also provides for a framework in which the two companies can co-develop and co-manage financial products for distribution in Korea by Samsung Asset Management, targeting institutional, high-net-worth, and retail clients.  Collaboration on ESG related opportunities is also covered as part of the MOU.  

Paul Lorentz, President & CEO, Global Wealth and Asset Management, Manulife Investment Management, said, “Innovative investment solutions such as private asset investments, offshore strategies and ESG opportunities will play an increasingly important role in helping investors in Korea accumulate wealth.  We have found a great partner in Samsung Asset Management as they are the largest asset manager in Korea1 with a strong brand, and are keen on exploring opportunities in private assets, specialized public market strategies, and ESG.” 

Shim Jong-Geuk, CEO of Samsung Asset Management said, “We are excited to enter into this partnership.  Working closely with a global leader in institutional and wealth management such as Manulife Investment Management will ultimately enable us to better serve our clients as well as expand our business. We especially look forward to cooperating in private assets including infrastructure investments as well as ESG, both of which are high priorities for us.” 

The institutional market in Korea has been on a multi-year growth as the country’s demographics continue to mature. The institutional market’s assets under management2 were valued at US$2.3 trillion3 (KRW 2,659 trillion) at the end of 2019, at a compound annual growth rate of 7.5% since 2015.  The MOU between Manulife Investment Management and Samsung Asset Management provides a win-win opportunity for both companies, and is conducive to the development of the asset management industry in Korea.  

Michael Dommermuth, Head of Wealth and Asset Management, Asia, Manulife Investment Management, said, “Our Asia institutional sales team has been making strides in developing the partnership model, engaging clients in discussions as a provider of solutions across public and private asset classes.  This MOU bodes well with our strategy to accelerate growth.  We are excited to have Samsung Asset Management as a key member of our group of partners in the region.”

With an investment footprint that spans 17 countries and territories with 550 investment professionals, and US$758 billion of assets under management and administration4, Manulife Investment Management offers highly differentiated strategies across public and private markets to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. The firm is part of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) Leaders’ Group  20205, a 10-year initiative honoring signatories at the cutting edge of responsible investment, and received a score of A+ for strategy and governance from the latest PRI annual assessment report6.

Samsung Asset Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Life Insurance, is the leading asset manager in Korea with an AUM of US$233.4 billion7. Samsung’s spectrum of investment strategies spans across diverse asset classes ranging from domestic and global equity, fixed income, alternative investments and multi-asset solutions via mutual funds, exchange-traded funds as well as separately managed accounts and customized solutions.

Shim Jong-Geuk, CEO of Samsung Asset Management (left) and Paul Lorentz, President & CEO, Global Wealth and Asset Management, Manulife Investment Management (right) with the signed memorandum of understanding.

 

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About Manulife Investment Management

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 December 31, 2020, Manulife Investment Management had CAD$966 billion (US$758 billion) in assets under management and administration. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

 

About Samsung Asset Management

Samsung Asset Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Life Insurance, is the largest asset manager in Korea with investment capabilities across domestic and global equity, fixed income, alternative investments and asset allocation.  As of March 2021, we command a 23.2% share of the Korean asset management market with approximately KRW290tn in asset under management.  While leading the Korean market in various asset classes, we are particularly strong in ETFs, commanding a 51% share of the Korean ETF market ever since it launched Korea’s first ever ETF under the KODEX brand.  We are also pioneer in introducing Target Date Funds (TDFs) in Korea, tailoring to mirror the life cycle of Korean investors and offering a new paradigm for retirement investing. Also, we leading the industry in alternative assets and especially in infrastructure investments, investing both directly into projects as well as funds through various funds including the KRW1bn blind fund, the largest in Korea,   As Asia’s leading asset manager, Samsung Asset Management advocates for the importance and benefits of clients to create an investment culture that is aligned with our philosophy of "Successful Investing Experience for All Clients".

 

1 Source: Samsung Asset Management2 Source: Cerulli Associates. 3 Exchange rate as of December 31, 2019: 1 USD = 1,157.96 KRW. 4 Source: Manulife Investment Management.  Assets under management and administration data as of December 31, 2020. 5 https://www.unpri.org/showcasing-leadership/the-pri-leaders-group/4771.article6 https://www.manulifeim.com/institutional/ao/en/about-us/press-releases/manulife-investment-management-earns-top-scores-pri7 Source: Samsung Asset Management.

 

Media contact:                   

Carl Wong

Manulife Investment Management Asia

852 2510 3180

carl_kk_wong@manulifeam.com    

 

Jaden Ahn

Samsung Asset Management

822 3774 7932

Eunsoo01.ahn@samsung.com