Sustainable Asia Bond Strategy

The strategy aims to maximize total returns from a combination of income generation and capital appreciation by investing primarily in fixed-income securities issued by Asian governments, agencies, supranationals, and corporate issuers that demonstrate superior sustainability attributes.

 

Philosophy

The team believes that attractive risk-adjusted returns can be generated by investing in Asian corporate and government bond issuers that demonstrate superior sustainability attributes. The firm’s extensive on-the-ground proprietary Asian credit research and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) capabilities provide the team with an informational advantage over many of their peers.

Managed by

Murray Collis

CIO, Asia (ex-Japan) Fixed Income

Based in Singapore, Murray is a Senior Managing Director, CIO, Asia (ex-Japan) Fixed Income and lead portfolio manager of our Singapore-based fixed income strategies. He also supports the pan-Asian fixed-income team in the management of pan-Asian strategies. Murray has 25 years of industry experience, 20 of which in portfolio management in markets including London, Hong Kong and Singapore. Most recently, Murray was the head of Asian fixed income (based in Singapore) for Standish Mellon Asset Management. Prior to that, he spent 16 years with First State Investments covering currencies, global bonds, and credit.

  • Education: B.Com., B.Econ., University of Newcastle, Australia
  • Joined the company: 2016
  • Began career: 1996
Murray Collis

Endre Pedersen

Deputy CIO, Global Fixed Income & CIO, Global Emerging Markets Fixed Income

Endre is Senior Managing Director, Deputy CIO, Global Fixed Income & CIO, Global Emerging Markets Fixed Income for Manulife Investment Management, and is lead manager for the company’s pan-Asian fixed-income strategies. Endre has extensive investment experience in developed Asian markets, having managed single and multiple currency funds with exposure to Asian sovereign and corporate debt. Before joining the company, he worked as a senior fixed-income portfolio manager for DBS Asset Management and, prior to this, he was a fixed-income portfolio manager for Hermes Investment Management and F&C Management in London.

  • Education: B.Fin., University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Business School
  • Joined the company: 2008
  • Began career: 1999
Endre Pedersen

Alvin Ong, CFA, CESGA

Head of Fixed Income, Singapore

Based in Singapore, Alvin is managing director and Head of Fixed Income, Singapore. He is responsible for managing Singapore-based fixed income assets.

Alvin joined the firm from AXA Investment Managers (Hong Kong), where he was portfolio manager for Singapore dollar, Japanese yen and Hong Kong dollar fixed income portfolios. He began his career with the Monetary Authority of Singapore, where he managed global credit as well as Japanese yen fixed income portfolios. Alvin holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

  • Education: B.A., Nanyang Technological University
  • Joined the company: 2014
  • Began career: 2008
Alvin Ong, CFA, CESGA

Chris Lam

Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, Asia Fixed Income

Based in Hong Kong, Chris is a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager with the Asia Fixed Income team.

Before becoming a portfolio manager in 2021, Chris was a senior Asian credit analyst. Prior to joining the firm, he was a market risk analyst in the Capital Markets Credit Risk Group at J.P. Morgan & Chase Private Bank in Hong Kong. Earlier in his career, Chris worked at Moody's Analytics in New York as a credit analyst covering global corporate credits.

  • Education: Chris holds a BA in Economics from Brandeis University, Boston and a MS in Financial Engineering from Columbia University, New York. He is a CFA charterholder.
  • Joined Firm: 2011
  • Began Career: 2005
Chris Lam

Vehicles

At Manulife Investment Management, we offer investment strategies through a variety of vehicles to suit a broad range of client needs. Contact our institutional sales or consultant relations team to find out if this strategy/vehicle is offered in your region. 

Separate accounts

Our separate accounts and separately managed accounts (SMAs) are designed for institutions and high-net-worth clients seeking tailored investment solutions and direct ownership of securities. 

Pooled Funds

Our professionally managed Pooled Funds are available to qualified institutions.

Mutual funds

Mutual funds are liquid, professionally managed portfolios which are available to both institutional and retail investors.


Key facts

Inception date

August 6, 2020

Strategy AUM (USD)

$105.08 million 

Benchmark

J.P. Morgan ESG Asia Credit Index (JESG JACI)

Style

Thematic ESG Asia bonds

Average portfolio manager experience

22 years

Expected tracking error

200 basis points per year, over a rolling three-year period 

Important disclosures

All information shown is as of December 31, 2023, unless otherwise indicated. Strategy-level information may differ from vehicle-specific information. Not all vehicles are available in all locations and may be offered through affiliates of Manulife Investment Management.

The investment strategy/financial product referenced herein promotes environmental and/or social characteristics and fulfils the requirements of Article 8 of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). We have made available the requisite pre-contractual and website disclosures required under SFDR and further information is available upon request.


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