John Hancock, Voya Name New Investment Division Leads

Kristie Feinberg will take over as head of Manulife Investment Management in U.S., Europe, and John Hancock Investment Management; Barbara Reinhard named CIO of Voya’s investment arm.


Manulife Investment Management, owner of John Hancock Investment Management, and Voya Investment Management both named new heads this week.

Manulife Financial Corp., which owns John Hancock Financial, announced Wednesday that Kristie Feinberg will head Manulife’s investment management arm in the U.S. and Europe, along with serving as president and CEO of John Hancock Investment Management. Feinberg’s role was effective on May 1, according to the Boston-based wealth and asset management division.

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Kristie Feinberg.

“The choices available to our investors made possible through our unique multimanager model, our private markets and alternative investments capabilities, and our retirement solutions for sponsors and participants bring a full spectrum of opportunity to create and build portfolios,” Feinberg said in a statement.

Feinberg succeeds Andrew Arnott, who will now be global head of retail at Manulife Investment Management. Arnott had been head of U.S. and Europe for Manulife Investment Management since 2018 and president and CEO of John Hancock Investment Management since 2012.

“To support our global growth plans, Andy will now focus on enhancing value for our retail customers and intermediaries globally,” Paul Lorentz, CEO of Manulife Investment Management, said in a statement. “Kristie will bring her on-the-ground knowledge and asset management acumen to her new role, which will benefit from her deep background in finance to align with our growth strategy.”

Feinberg joined Manulife Investment Management in 2021 from Invesco, where she served as both CFO and global head of treasury. Before that, she was corporate treasurer and business controller at Oppenheimer Funds.

This March, Brooks Tingle was named CEO of John Hancock, replacing Marianne Harrison, who had been in the role for 20 years.

Reinhard Takes Voya CIO Role

Voya Investment Management, the asset management business of New York-based Voya Financial Inc. overseeing $316 billion in client assets, announced Tuesday that Barbara Reinhard will take over as chief investment officer and head of asset allocation for Voya IM’s multi asset strategies and solutions platform, effective November 1. Reinhard will succeed Paul Zemsky, who will retire at the end of 2023, and will report to Matt Toms, global chief investment officer at Voya IM.

“Barbara is a seasoned investment professional with 30 years of investment experience,” Toms said in a statement. “She is well respected both within our industry and with our clients.”

Barbara Reinhard.

Toms credited Zemsky with growing the division’s business to more than $31 billion in assets and being instrumental in the creation the unit’s culture.

Reinhard joined Voya IM in 2016 and most recently served as head of asset allocation. She is also a portfolio manager on Voya IM’s target-date and multi-asset strategies. Prior to joining Voya IM, Reinhard was a managing director and chief investment officer in Credit Suisse’s private banking division.

“We are focused on the needs of our clients and investing in our firm,” Toms said. “Equally important, we want to prioritize the continuity of our portfolio management teams while elevating the next generation of our leaders—both of which we have done today.”

Investment Product and Service Launches

Allianz Life enhances variable annuities; Brighthouse Financial improves Shield Level Annuities Product Suite; and more.


Allianz Life Introduces New Features for Allianz Index Advantage+ Variable Annuities

Allianz Life Insurance Co. of North America introduced significant enhancements to its Allianz Index Advantage suite of registered index-linked annuities.

  • The Allianz Index Advantage+ Variable Annuity now includes enhanced performance lock flexibility and additional simple crediting method terminology;
  • The Allianz Index Advantage + Income Variable Annuity’s income multiplier benefit allows investors to withdraw up to twice their annual maximum income payment; and
  • The Allianz Index Advantage+ NF Variable Annuity, with the index performance strategy, gives clients long-term growth potential and participation rates that allow the potential for a higher performance credit than the index return.

“Clients are looking for growth potential with a flexible level of protection on the downside,” said Corey Walther, Allianz Life Financial Services LLC’s president, in a statement. “Our Index Advantage+ series offers all of that combined with enhanced flexibility and simplicity.”

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Brighthouse Financial Enhances Shield Level Annuities Product Suite

Brighthouse Financial Inc. announced it has introduced new enhancements to its Shield Level Annuities Product Suite.

“For many people preparing for retirement, market volatility remains a top concern,” said Myles Lambert, chief distribution and marketing officer at Brighthouse Financial, in a statement. “That is why we are pleased to introduce Shield Options with Step Rate Edge, which are designed to provide clients with the potential for growth in certain down markets and help them better meet their retirement goals.”

The enhancements include the launch of Shield Options with Step Rate Edge, with Brighthouse Shield Level Annuities and Brighthouse Shield Level Pay Plus Annuities for one-year and two-year terms with 10% and 15% Shield Rate.

Touchstone Investments Launches Climate-Focused Fund

Touchstone Investments announced the launch of the Touchstone Climate Transition ETF.

The actively managed exchange-traded fund seeks to invest in companies that develop solutions to climate change. The ETF, Touchstone’s fifth active ETF and first thematic ETF offering, will be sub-advised by Lombard Odier Investment Managers and begins trading on May 2.

“Touchstone is focused on providing access to world-class, Distinctly Active institutional asset management strategies through our mutual fund and ETF offerings,” said Blake Moore, Touchstone Investments’ president and CEO, in a statement. “With interest in both thematic and sustainable investing on the rise, the Climate Transition ETF seeks to provide advisers and the investors they serve with an opportunity to better position investment portfolios and meet long-term goals.”

AmeriFlex Group Launches Financial Planning Solution

The AmeriFlex Group announced the launch of AmeriFlex Premier+ financial planning solution to help clients envision the outcome of their planning goals.

The solution generates a series of “what-if” scenarios reflecting transitional situations clients face throughout their lives: retirement; purchase or sale of a home or business; divorce; or loss of a loved one. It offers advisers the ability to provide customized service without the expense and complexities of maintaining a transitional wealth planning platform on their own.

“AmeriFlex Premier+ is an innovation that answers a real need,” said Thomas Goodson, AmeriFlex’s CEO and founder, in a statement. “For advisers, it’s a cost-effective and scalable solution that drives personalized planning guidance across a diverse client base. For clients, we’ve built a ‘bridge’ to easily envision the outcome of their planning goals.”

J.P. Morgan Asset Management Adds Index Strategies to Tax-Smart Platform

J.P. Morgan Asset Management announced the expansion of its Tax-Smart Platform, powered by 55ip, with the addition of two new index strategies delivering portfolio customization:

  • Tax Smart—U.S. All Cap Index Strategy invests in a subset of the Russell 3000 index, providing broad exposure to U.S.-traded stocks in a tax-smart manner.
  • Tax Smart—U.S. Carbon Transition Index Strategy invests in a subset of the JPMAM Carbon Transition U.S. Equity Index. It provides exposure to U.S.-traded stocks of companies positioned to benefit from a transition to a lower-carbon economy in a tax-smart manner.

“The J.P. Morgan Tax-Smart platform gives investors access to a unique combination of customization and scalability, and we are pleased to offer clients access to two new index strategies,” said Steve Kaplan, head of customized managed account solutions at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, in a statement.

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