Real asset investments

Our real asset capabilities in infrastructure, real estate, timberland, and agriculture can provide stable yields and diversification while enabling environmental benefits, enhancing value, and targeting above market rate returns.


Investing in enduring assets since 1925


Deep domain expertise drives efficiencies and collaboration across our global strategies. We capitalize on inefficient markets and new frontiers in portfolio diversification to pursue attractive, long-term, risk-adjusted returns for our investors.


$65.1 B assets under management and 1,100+ employees across the globe
Important disclosures

1 Data as of December 31, 2023. AUM calculated on a fair value basis in U.S. dollars (US$) unless otherwise noted.

2023 Private Makets
Annual Investor Conference

This conference provided an unique opportunity to bring all our private markets clients together at our historic Toronto headquarters in one of the world’s most enterprising cities.

Watch the highlights

Opportunities for climate impact

Forests and farmland are increasingly recognized as economic and scalable natural climate solutions.

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Why invest in real assets?

Real assets offer an illiquidity premium and can provide differentiated returns at lower volatility. They tend to be less vulnerable to unexpected changes in inflation and are uncorrelated with financial assets, providing portfolio diversification. They can provide investors with returns on their invested capital while generating a positive contribution to society.

Attractive risk/return characteristics

Potential to provide stable total returns and income with relatively low volatility

Portfolio diversification

Low or negative correlation with major asset classes2

Capitalize on inefficient markets

Can provide differentiated returns through illiquidity premiums

Long-term value creation

Long-term investment approach offers capital appreciation potential through various market cycles

Gain exposure to sustainable investing

Investment in sustainable real assets can enhance value while delivering market rate returns

Enable positive change

Provide benefits for the environment and our communities

2 Diversification does not guarantee a profit nor protect against loss in any market.

Why invest in real assets?

Institutional investors have long valued diversified real assets to help build portfolio resilience. Now, ever-growing numbers of investors are also looking at real assets to aid their path to net zero.

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What sets us apart?

Our success in real assets has been driven by a long-term focus, a risk-conscious investment philosophy, and deep domain expertise. As committed stewards of our investors' capital, we’re uniquely positioned to offer a powerful combination of stewardship, scale, and access across real assets.

Stewardship

We seek to be a global leader, integrating ESG factors into all phases of the investment lifecycle. 

Scale

Our scale in global infrastructure, real estate, timberland, and agriculture markets affords our clients an advantage.

Access

We offer extensive experience of investing in, and operating, real assets that are often difficult to access.

Our real asset investment strategies

We've been investing in real asset solutions for over 95 years. Our experience has shaped our ability to manage these assets sustainably over extended time horizons.

Infrastructure

Our infrastructure investment team has been investing in and managing diversified portfolios for more than 30 years. We focus on building high-quality, diversified portfolios of infrastructure assets with an emphasis on cash yield, low volatility, and realistic capital appreciation.

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Real estate

Our real estate investment team has been developing and managing fully integrated, diversified real estate portfolios for nearly a century. By leveraging our long-standing industry relationships and boots-on-the ground presence, we continuously source opportunities to create value on behalf of our investors.

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Timberland

As the world’s largest natural capital investment manager,3 our experience, size, and scale allow us to access a wider array of markets with reduced operating risk. Our experience has honed our ability to drive additional ecological, social, and financial value on behalf of our investors through value-added strategies such as recreation and renewable energy leases, and conservation carbon projects. 

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Agriculture

As the world's largest natural capital investment manager,3 with the experience and scale that allows us to access a wide array of markets, reduce operating risk, and provide low-cost, high-quality asset management. As a responsible stewards, we produce sustainable food and fiber while working to improve the environment, nourish communities, empower our people, and deliver performance for our investors. 

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Important disclosures

3 IPE research as of January 29, 2024. Ranking is based on total natural capital AUM, which includes forestry/timberland and agriculture/farmland AUM. Firms were asked to provide AUM and the as of dates vary from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2023.

Committed to sustainable investing 

Real assets are a natural fit for investors wishing to put their capital to work sustainably, in ways that generate a positive contribution to society. Long-term experience of both investing in and operating real assets allows us to embed stewardship in how we manage our operations, make investment decisions, and develop and offer financial products and services.

Read about our approach to sustainability

One of our real estate GRESB submissions ranked 1st in its North American peer group. 4

Our global real estate portfolio received a GRESB 5-star ranking for a 6th consecutive year.5

100% of our managed forests are certified sustainable.6

100% of our U.S. agriculture platform is certified as sustainable by the Leading Harvest Farmland Management Standard.7

Important disclosures

Source: Manulife Investment Management, as of December 31, 2022. Please refer to the 2022 real assets sustainable investing report for details. 4 GRESB 2023 results are based on performance for the calendar year, January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022. Our general account was ranked 1st in its peer group: North America | Diversified - Office/Industrial | Core peer group. GRESB Real Estate results are released annually and more information can be found at 2023 Real Estate Assessment Results – GRESB. For more information on GRESB's methodology please refer to: https://documents.gresb.com/generated_files/real_estate/2023/real_estate/reference_guide/complete.html 5 Based on GRESB results released October 2023 cover the 2022 time period. Most current data shown. Manulife Investment Management paid a fee to be considered for the ranking. For more information on “Green Star” ranking, please visit https://gresb.com/nl-en/faq/what-is-a-green-star/. 6 100% of our forests were certified under either the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and some of our forests in Australia and New Zealand carry dual FSC and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) accreditation. As a condition of certification, forests must have management plans, including consideration of biodiversity. 7 Certification is by Leading Harvest and is based on an annual assessment of the conformation to its Farmland Management Standard. Most current data is shown.

Real assets sustainability report

Download the report

Our team

Our experienced leadership team has a long history of investing in real assets. With specializations spanning across real estate, infrastructure, timberland, and agriculture, the team helps drive efficiencies and collaboration across our diverse global real assets businesses.

Brian J. Kernohan

Chief Sustainability Officer

Brian is responsible for the global sustainability platform for Manulife Investment Management’s private and public markets businesses. This spans timberland, agriculture, real estate, infrastructure, private equity, and private credit as well as public markets’ equity, fixed income, and multi-asset strategies. Brian is accountable for sustainability strategy, developing internal sustainable investing policies and compliance mechanisms across Manulife Investment Management. He also supports regulatory affairs and reporting on sustainability matters. Previously, Brian was chief sustainability officer for Manulife Investment Management’s private markets business and before that he was the chief sustainability officer at Hancock Natural Resource Group, Manulife’s timberland and agriculture business. Prior to joining the firm, he was director of policy at Forest Capital Partners, where he was responsible for a variety of programs, including forest certification, forest policy, government affairs, public relations, conservation transactions, and ecology support. Brian represents Manulife Investment Management on several external groups and committees, and he holds the Certified Wildlife Biologist designation from The Wildlife Society.

  • Education: B.S., Wildlife Ecology, Michigan State University; M.S., Wildlife Management, South Dakota State University
  • Joined the company: 2012       
  • Began career: 1995
Brian J. Kernohan

Recep C. Kendircioglu, CFA, FRM

Portfolio Manager, Head of Infrastructure Investments

Recep oversees the firm’s infrastructure investments group and is a portfolio manager of infrastructure-related closed-end funds that allow third-party investors to invest alongside Manulife. Prior to joining the firm, he worked for Enel North America, acquiring and developing renewable energy projects in the United States and Canada and also taking an international assignment for privatization bids in Poland and France. Prior to Enel, Recep managed the strategy and planning group at InterGen, where he worked on the development and financing of U.S. thermal plants. Recep holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and Financial Risk Manager designations and is a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society.

  • Education: M.B.A., Rice University; B.S., Computer Engineering, Boğaziçi University
  • Joined the company: 2007
  • Began career: 1999
Recep C. Kendircioglu, CFA, FRM

Marc Feliciano

Global Head of Real Estate

Marc is the global head of real estate, private markets, at Manulife Investment Management, responsible for developing and implementing the strategy and increasing the firm’s capabilities in this area on behalf of clients, including Manulife’s general account. His work includes overseeing all aspects of the real estate business, including portfolio management, investments, asset management, development of new products, and the integration of sustainability into both investments and operations.

Prior to joining Manulife, Marc was the chief investment officer (CIO) of real estate Americas and the head of portfolio and asset management for the RREEF Real Estate Americas business. He was also head of the Americas Debt Investments Group and a member of the Americas Leadership Committee and Global Investment Committee. Marc served as chairman of the Americas Real Estate Investment Committee, which governs both equity and debt investments and portfolios and serves on the Americas Real Estate Management Committee. As Americas’ CIO, he worked with portfolio managers in developing specific portfolio strategy for each account or fund as part of the annual investment plan process. He also was a board member of RREEF Property Trust, a non-traded REIT. Prior to assuming this position, he served as global head of risk and performance analysis, responsible for the development of allocation, risk, and performance tools. In this role, Marc was a member of the Global CIO Group, working closely with the global and regional CIOs and the research team to formulate the global and regional house views and strategy and to develop the resulting house portfolio for each region. While with RREEF Real Estate, he led debt restructurings across several accounts and funds in conjunction with the Americas portfolio management, asset management, and capital markets teams. Marc also worked in the private and public real estate industries while at Morgan Stanley, Heitman/PRA Securities Advisors, and INVESCO Realty Advisors. 

  • Education: B.A., M.A.,  Accounting with a concentration in Finance, University of Texas at Austin
  • Joined the company: 2022
  • Began career: 1993
Marc Feliciano

Thomas G. Sarno

Global Head of Timberland Investments

Tom leads Manulife Investment Management’s institutional timberland investment program, overseeing investment underwriting and portfolio management, acquisitions and dispositions, resource planning and analysis, client account management, economic research, and property management. He’s a member of the senior management team for the firm’s timberland and agriculture businesses and serves on the executive committee. He also leads the timberland management team and serves on the timberland investment committee. Previously, Tom served as global head of timberland and farmland operations, where he developed and led large-scale, integrated, investor-owned, and third-party agriculture and forestry property management platforms. Prior to that, he served as director of global timber operations. Tom has also served as senior portfolio manager, where he was responsible for account management and portfolio development for individually managed timber accounts, as well as pooled investment vehicles; and general manager, Southern Division and Mid-Atlantic region manager. Prior to joining the firm in 2004, Tom was a procurement manager for International Paper’s Pensacola paper mill and McDavid sawmill enterprise. Among other roles, he served as forest operations manager as well as forest analyst for Champion International Corporation.

  • Education: B.S. with honors, Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida
  • Joined the company: 2004
  • Began career: 1995
Thomas G. Sarno

Oliver S. Williams IV, CFA

Global Head of Agriculture Investments

Oliver is responsible for the overall direction and growth of Manulife Investment Management’s institutional agriculture investment program. He’s a member of the senior management team for the firm’s timberland and agriculture businesses and serves on the executive committee. He also leads the farmland management team, serves on the farmland investment committee, and chairs company boards for the firm’s Australian investment vehicles. Previously, Oliver headed the farmland asset management function. Prior to joining the firm in 1997, he spent five years with First Pioneer Farm Credit, where he was responsible for evaluating and appraising farmland and farm businesses for potential loans. Oliver holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, the Association for Investment Management and Research, and the Boston Security Analysts Society.

  • Education: B.S., Agricultural Economics, Cornell University
  • Joined the company: 1997
  • Began career: 1997
Oliver S. Williams IV, CFA

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Contact us

Kevin P. Ryan, CFA

Managing Director, Real Estate Investor Relations

1 617-572-5485

kryan@manulife.com

Benjamin Thorndike

Managing Director, Infrastructure Investor Relations

1 617-875-4800

bthorndike@manulife.com

 

Michael Strzelecki, CFA  

Managing Director, Timberland Investor Relations

1 617-747-1501

mstrzelecki@manulife.com

Julie Koeninger, CFA

Managing Director, Agriculture Investor Relations

1 617-747-1559

jkoeninger@manulife.com  

Scott Greenberg, CAIA

Managing Director, Business Development, Real Assets

1 617-784-1534

scott.greenberg@manulife.com

Mark Kniesche

Managing Director, Business Development, Real Assets 

1 857-210-7393

mkniesche@manulife.com