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TORONTO, Feb. 13, 2017 /CNW/ - Manulife Investments today announced changes to the Manulife Asset Management Canadian Fundamental Equity team.  The changes are being implemented to ensure a smooth transition in the leadership of the team, and allow them to continue executing on their investment approach and deliver results for investors.

The changes are as follows:

  • Monika Skiba, head of the Canadian Fundamental Equity team, has announced her retirement effective December, 2017.
  • Patrick Blais, previously Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been promoted to co-head of the team and will assume full leadership of the team following Monika's retirement.
  • Susan Da Sie, portfolio manager on select yield-oriented strategies, has left Manulife Asset Management.

Patrick is a seasoned investment professional, with more than 18 years' investment experience, including more than six years at Manulife Asset Management. He is a CFA charterholder and a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. His years of industry experience, combined with his close working relationship with Monika on the Canadian Fundamental Equity team, have ideally positioned him to assume leadership of the team. The team manages core total return strategies, Manulife Canadian Equity Private Pool, Manulife Canadian Stock Class, and Manulife Canadian Stock Fund, and the equity portion of Manulife Canadian Equity Balanced Class. Monika will remain with Manulife Asset Management working closely with Patrick in managing the team and its strategies until her retirement.  

We are also announcing Cavan Yie, previously an analyst on the team, has been named as portfolio manager joining Monika Skiba and Patrick Blais as co-portfolio managers of the team's total return strategies.

The team also manages core income oriented strategies, which continue to be managed by Steve Belisle. Working alongside Christopher Mann, also a portfolio manager on the team, Steve is responsible for the management of the Manulife Canadian Dividend Growth Class, Manulife Canadian Dividend Growth Fund, Manulife Canadian Dividend Income Class, Manulife Canadian Dividend Income Fund, and the equity component of Manulife Canadian Growth & Income Private Trust, Manulife Canadian Monthly Income Class, Manulife Canadian Monthly Income Fund, Manulife Conservative Income Fund and Manulife Tactical Income Fund.

For more information, please visit manulifemutualfunds.ca or contact Manulife Investments at the following telephone numbers:

English: 1-888-588-7999
French: 1-877-426-9991

About Manulife Investments

Manulife Investments, a division of Manulife Asset Management Limited, builds on 125 years of Manulife's wealth and investment management expertise in managing assets for Canadian investors. As one of Canada's leading integrated financial services providers, Manulife Investments and its affiliates offer a variety of products and services including segregated fund contracts, mutual funds, annuities and guaranteed interest contracts.

About Manulife Asset Management

Manulife Asset Management is the global asset management arm of Manulife, providing comprehensive asset management solutions for investors. This investment expertise extends across a broad range of public and private asset classes, as well as asset allocation solutions. As at December 31, 2016, assets under management for Manulife Asset Management were approximately C$461 billion (US$343 billion, GBP£278 billion, EUR€325 billion).

Manulife Asset Management's public markets units have investment expertise across a broad range of asset classes including public equity and fixed income, and asset allocation strategies. Offices with full investment capabilities are located in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In addition, Manulife Asset Management has a joint venture asset management business in China, Manulife TEDA. The public markets units of Manulife Asset Management also provide investment management services to affiliates' retail clients through product offerings of Manulife and John Hancock. John Hancock Asset Management is a division of Manulife Asset Management.

Additional information about Manulife Asset Management may be found at ManulifeAM.com.

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people achieve their dreams and aspirations by putting customers' needs first and providing the right advice and solutions. We operate as John Hancock in the United States and Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, as well as wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2016, we had approximately 35,000 employees, 70,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving more than 22 million customers. At the end of 2016, we had $977 billion (US$728 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made almost $26 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 100 years. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.

SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation

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