Manulife Asset Management Names Robert Chepelsky, CFA, as Managing Director and Canadian Fixed Income Product Manager

TORONTO, June 17, 2013 /CNW/ - Manulife Asset Management announced that Robert Chepelsky, CFA, has joined the firm as a Managing Director and Product Manager working with its Canadian Fixed Income Investment Team. Mr. Chepelsky is based in Toronto and reports to Jeffrey Santerre, CAIA, Managing Director and Global Head of Product Management.

"We are pleased to welcome Rob to Manulife Asset Management, where he will support our Canadian fixed income team which presently manages $16 billion in assets," said Mr. Santerre. "Rob brings a tremendous amount of investment industry experience to the organization, which will be beneficial in further driving growth in our Canadian fixed income business. He will work with the investment team on all aspects of product management, assisting our client-facing teams in the effective communication and positioning of our investment strategies with clients, prospects and consultants."

Mr. Chepelsky brings 20 years of investment industry experience to his new role. Most recently, he worked at Morneau Shepell where he spent the past ten years as an Investment Consultant. Prior to that, he spent four years at Nigel Stephens Counsel as a Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income, where he managed the firm's fixed income assets, currency positions, and derivative positions including three mutual funds on behalf of high net worth clients. Before that, he was with Manulife Financial as an Asset and Liability Analyst.

Mr. Chepelsky received a B.A. in Mathematics from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Actuarial Science from the University of Waterloo. He is a CFA Charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Toronto and the CFA Institute.

About Manulife Asset Management
Manulife Asset Management is the global asset management arm of Manulife Financial. Manulife Asset Management provides comprehensive asset management solutions for institutional investors and investment funds in key markets around the world. Manulife Asset Management also provides investment management services to affiliates' retail clients through product offerings of Manulife and John Hancock. This investment expertise extends across a broad range of asset classes including equity, fixed income and alternative investments such as real estate, timber, farmland, as well as asset allocation strategies.

Manulife Asset Management has offices with full investment capabilities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In addition, it has a joint venture asset management business in China, Manulife TEDA. It also has operations in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Uruguay. John Hancock Asset Management, Hancock Natural Resource Group and Declaration Management and Research are units of Manulife Asset Management. As at March 31, 2013, assets under management were C$252 billion. Additional information about Manulife Asset Management can be found at ManulifeAM.com.

About Manulife Financial

Manulife Financial is a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Clients look to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to millions of clients. We also provide asset management services to institutional customers. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$555 billion (US$547 billion) as at March 31, 2013. The Company operates as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock in the United States.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

SOURCE: Manulife Asset Management

Beth McGoldrick, 617-663-4751, [email protected]

http://www.manulife.com