Roberto Sanchez-Dahl and Paolo H. Valle were named managing directors and senior portfolio managers of the $2.35 billion John Hancock Emerging Markets Debt strategy, at Manulife Asset Management, confirmed Beth McGoldrick, John Hancock spokeswoman.
Messrs. Sanchez-Dahl and Valle replace managing director John F. Iles and senior managing director Daniel S. Janis III, who will remain portfolio managers of the John Hancock Strategic Income Opportunities strategy. The asset size of the strategic income strategy could not be learned by press time.
“We wanted to invest in the space. We see it as a significant growth engine,” said Christopher Conkey, global chief investment officer, in a telephone interview.
“It's another step in the implementation of a strategic plan both from the debt and the equity perspective building on our capabilities,” Mr. Conkey said, “with a critical focus on global as well as emerging (markets).”
The firm hired new global equity and domestic small-cap equity teams in March.
Messrs. Sanchez-Dahl and Valle were senior portfolio managers of the $330 million Federated Emerging Market Debt fund. Ihab L. Salib, senior vice president, senior portfolio manager and head of the international fixed-income group at Federated, will take over management of the fund, said Meghan McAndrew, Federated spokeswoman.
Separately, Ms. McAndrew said Federated will add another portfolio manager and at least one analyst to its international fixed-income team in the near future.
