Robert Forsyth has joined Lazard Asset Management as managing director and global head of ETFs from State Street Global Advisors, where he most recently was global head of ETF strategy, Lazard announced Sept. 9.
It is a new position, a spokesman said. Forsyth started at the firm in late August.
Forsyth, who is based in New York and will report to Jennifer Ryan, managing director and head of North American distribution, is tasked with driving the development and expansion of Lazard’s active ETF platform, according to a news release.
During his career at SSGA, Forsyth held various leadership positions in product, investment and sales strategy for its ETF business, the news release said. Forsyth spent “a little over 10 years at State Street,” and prior to that worked at UBS, the spokesman said. SSGA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“We are continuously evolving our platform so that more clients can access our leading investment strategies,” Lazard CEO Evan Russo said in the release. “Building and expanding an active ETF platform is a key next step in our plans, and Rob will play an important role in accelerating our ambitions.”
In June, Lazard launched its first ETF product — the Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Active ETF — for Australian investors, the release said. Lazard will continue to build on that launch, along with a new subadvised ETF mandate in the U.S., the release said. The spokesman declined to provide additional details regarding the new subadvised ETF mandate.
Lazard Asset Management, a subsidiary of Lazard, had $246.1 billion in assets under management as of July 31, the spokesman said.
