RBC Global Asset Management adds new global equity team in London

LONDON AND TORONTO, Jan. 14, 2014 /CNW/ - RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM) today announced the addition of 10 global equity specialists to its investment management team at RBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited (RBC GAM-UK) in London. The team of specialists, led by Habib Subjally, join from First State Investments (UK) Limited where they previously managed US$2.5 billion in a variety of global equity strategies for institutions and private clients over the past eight years. Mr. Subjally will assume the position of senior portfolio manager and head of Global Equities. Neil Abbott, Luis Benoliel, Marcus Lun, Jeremy Richardson, Julie Thomas, Dag Wetterwald, Perry Winfield and Ben Yeoh are joining as senior portfolio managers, and Romain Scampini will join as portfolio manager.

"These expanded capabilities complement our existing breadth and depth of expertise across a wide range of global mandates, with a direct benefit to the individual and institutional investors we serve," said John Montalbano, chief executive officer, RBC GAM. "The addition of this team brings considerable new strength to RBC Global Asset Management's expertise in global equity management."

Over the past eight years, Mr. Subjally was head of Global Equities and led the global equity team at First State Investments. He holds a Bachelors degree from the London School of Economics and the Chartered Accountant and ASIP designations. The core of his team has worked together for the last seven years, with an average tenure of 16 years in the industry.

"RBC GAM's investment approach is characterized by fundamental research and rigorous discipline, along with a focus on risk management and portfolio construction, all within a team-oriented structure," said Dan Chornous, chief investment officer, RBC Global Asset Management Inc. "Habib and his team fit seamlessly with our approach, as demonstrated by their strong investment results and stability of returns, with notably solid performance in down markets."

The new global equity team joins investment professionals at RBC GAM-UK specializing in emerging markets and European equities, as well as global and emerging markets fixed income. In total, the London office currently comprises 34 investment professionals and staff (including five from the new global equity group). That number will grow to 39 when Mr. Subjally and the remaining members join in early March.

"As a global organization with over C$300 billion in assets under management, RBC GAM is committed to continually growing our capabilities," said Mr. Montalbano. "Our growth trajectory - including organic growth as well as successful acquisitions such as BlueBay Asset Management in 2010 - reflects our commitment to bringing world-class expertise to our investment solutions and, ultimately, to our clients."

About RBC Global Asset Management and RBC Wealth Management

RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM) is the asset management division of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), and includes institutional money managers BlueBay Asset Management LLP, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management, RBC Global Asset Management (U.S.) Inc., and RBC Global Asset Management (U.K.) Limited. RBC GAM is a provider of global investment management services and solutions to individual, high-net-worth and institutional investors through exchange-traded funds, hedge funds, mutual funds, pooled funds, separate accounts and specialty investment strategies. RBC GAM group of companies manage more than C$300 billion in assets and have approximately 1,100 employees located across Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.

RBC Global Asset Management is part of RBC Wealth Management, which is one of the world's top 10 largest wealth managers*. RBC Wealth Management directly serves affluent, high-net-worth and ultra-high net worth clients in Canada, the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia with a full suite of banking, investment, trust and other wealth management solutions. The business also provides asset management products and services directly and through RBC and third party distributors to institutional and individual clients, through its RBC Global Asset Management business (which includes BlueBay Asset Management). RBC Wealth Management has more than C$639 billion of assets under administration, more than C$387 billion of assets under management and over 4,400 financial consultants, advisors, private bankers, and trust officers. For more information, please visit www.rbcwealthmanagement.com.

*Scorpio Partnership Global Private Banking KPI Benchmark 2013. In the United States, securities are offered through RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada. Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.

SOURCE: RBC

Canada
Connie Soave, RBC GAM Communications, 416 955-0577
Leah Commisso, RBC GAM Media Relations, 416 955-6498

U.K.
Lily Sheringham, Brunswick Group, [phone]

U.S.
Taylor Watson, Brunswick Group, [phone]