MFS Investment Management has made a series of personnel appointments and organisational enhancements to its fixed income department, including naming regional heads for Europe and North America and seven research directors.
MFS is also creating new positions to address client customisation needs and career development within its fixed income research team.
"MFS has grown its fixed income franchise considerably over the last five years, adding investment professionals in the US, Canada and Europe,” says William J Adams (pictured), chief investment officer for global fixed income at MFS. “We believe this structure is more closely aligned with the growth of our business and investment capabilities. These enhancements will deepen our leadership team and position MFS to continue to meet the growing demands of our clients for many years to come.”
Pilar Gomez-Bravo, based in London, has been named director of fixed income – Europe. She will oversee the global aggregate and global credit portfolio management teams. She will continue to serve as the lead portfolio manager for MFS' global credit portfolios. She will also serve as a lead portfolio manager on MFS' global aggregate suite of strategies, effective today.
Joshua Marston has been named director of fixed income – North America. He will oversee the Boston- and Toronto-based aggregate, government, and securitised debt portfolio management teams. Marston will continue to serve as a portfolio manager on MFS' US Aggregate suite, Canadian Core Plus, and US Long Duration Credit strategies.
London-based fixed income analyst Lior Jassur has been named director of fixed income research – Europe. He will report to Adams and will manage MFS' London-based fixed income research team.
Melissa Haskell has been named director of fixed income research – North America. She will report to Adams and oversee the US and Canadian fixed income research teams. Haskell was previously the head of Municipal Credit Research.
Reporting to Haskell will be four new directors of research.
Gerald Pendleton has been named director, corporate research, North America. David Cobey has been named director, high yield research. Jay Mitchell has been named director, emerging market corporate research. Megan Poplowski has been named director, municipal research. All four individuals were previously research analysts and each have more than 17 years of investment experience.
"These individuals bring a wealth of knowledge across different disciplines, market sectors and market environments," says Adams. "This new structure will create greater cohesion among our fixed income teams."
To meet the growing demand for innovative and custom client portfolios, MFS is creating a new role, fixed income strategic solutions analyst. Sean Cameron, currently a quantitative research analyst, will now assume this new role and report to Adams. This new position will combine quantitative methodologies with economic and investment insights to support the delivery of client focused solutions. Cameron will be actively involved in new product development and support the day-to-day management of custom portfolios.
MFS is also creating a formal mentoring role to aide its fixed income research associates' growth and career development. Veteran research analyst Michael Pandolfi has been named director, associate research and will lead the department's mentoring efforts.
"Creating new roles to meet client needs and mentoring the next generation of research analysts will further enhance MFS' ability to differentiate itself among prospective clients and investment professionals," adds Adams.
