Canadian Corporate Plus Fixed Income Strategy

The strategy offers dynamic exposure to the Canadian, U.S. high-yield, and global corporate bond markets, while seeking enhanced total return opportunities through an active approach to credit, sector and security selection, and yield curve management.

 

Philosophy

The team believes that there are pockets of value throughout the fixed-income market, especially in the high-yield sector. Thorough credit and yield curve analysis enables the team to identify and exploit these values in the pursuit of long-term returns, while seeking to mitigate risk. Within this framework, the team seeks to take a creative approach to uncovering investment ideas, with the goal of offering clients a portfolio reflective of some of the most current thinking in the industry.

Managed by

Roshan Thiru, CFA

Head, Canadian Fixed Income

Roshan is the head of the Canadian fixed-income team, responsible for the Toronto-based team that manages client portfolios in actively managed Canadian fixed-income and money market strategies, including fixed-income balanced and other customized mandates. Previously, he was a senior portfolio manager on the team focusing on investment-grade corporate debt mandates. Prior to joining the firm, Roshan was a lead analyst with DBRS, covering the energy, project finance, and utilities sectors and, before that, he worked as an institutional credit risk manager at RBC Financial Group and as an analyst at Foyston, Gordon & Payne. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation

  • Education: B.A., Economics, McMaster University; Diploma, Accounting, Wilfrid Laurier University; M.B.A., University of Windsor​
  • Joined the company: 2008
  • Began career: 2000 
Roshan Thiru, CFA

Sivan Nair, CFA

Senior Portfolio Manager, Canadian Fixed Income

Sivan joined the Canadian fixed-income team in 2010. His duties involve contributing to the overall portfolio management of the team’s client accounts, with specialties that include interest-rate management, sovereign credit analysis, asset allocation, and interest-rate derivative strategies. Sivan began at the firm as a member of the global product management and development team where he worked on firmwide investment strategies and, prior to that, he was a senior business analyst for the firm’s John Hancock Retirement division. Sivan holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a registered commodity trading manager.

  • Education: M.B.A., Finance, University of British Columbia; B.Eng., Electronics and Communications, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, India
  • Joined the company: 2003
  • Began career: 2003
Sivan Nair, CFA

Altaf Nanji, CFA

Senior Portfolio Manager, Canadian Fixed Income

Altaf is responsible for managing client portfolios for the Canadian fixed-income team; his specialties include investment-grade corporate debt investments and asset allocation. He represented the firm, for a two-year term, as the only Canadian member on the Fixed-Income Advisory Committee of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a committee of international representatives mandated to deliver research, tools, and events to support PRI signatories globally; he’s also a member of the firm’s Sustainable Investment Committee. Prior to joining the firm, Altaf was head of Canadian credit research at RBC Capital Markets. Other previous roles include working as a senior financial analyst at DBRS and as a financial analyst and manager with the Canadian government’s Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. Altaf holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. 

  • Education: M.B.A., Schulich School of Business, York University; B.A., Economics and History, University of Toronto
  • Joined the company: 2014
  • Began career: 1998
Altaf Nanji, CFA

Jonathan Crescenzi, CFA

Portfolio Manager, Canadian Fixed Income

As a portfolio manager, Jonathan is responsible for supporting the Canadian fixed-income team’s strategies with a focus on high-yield securities. Jonathan joined the firm as part of the investment division rotational program, where he gathered research experience in global equities and commodities.  Prior to joining the firm, Jonathan interned as a research analyst at UBS Global Asset Management and American International Group. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. 

  • Education: B.B.A., Finance, Wilfrid Laurier University
  • Joined the company: 2009
  • Began career: 2007
Jonathan Crescenzi, CFA

Vehicles

At Manulife Investment Management, we offer investment strategies through a variety of vehicles to suit a broad range of client needs. Contact our institutional sales or consultant relations team to find out if this strategy/vehicle is offered in your region. 

  • Separate accounts

    Our separate accounts and separately managed accounts (SMAs) are designed for institutions and high-net-worth clients seeking tailored investment solutions and direct ownership of securities. 

  • Pooled Funds

    Our professionally managed Pooled Funds are available to qualified institutions.

  • Mutual funds

    Mutual funds are liquid, professionally managed portfolios which are available to both institutional and retail investors.

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Important disclosures

The material contains information regarding the investment approach described herein and is not a complete description of the investment objectives, risks, policies, guidelines or portfolio management and research that supports this investment approach. Any decision to engage Manulife Investment Management should be based upon a review of the terms of the prospectus, offering documents or investment management agreement, as applicable, and the specific investment objectives, policies and guidelines that apply under the terms of such agreement. There is no guarantee investment objectives will be met. The investment process may change over time. The characteristics set forth above are intended as a general illustration of some of the criteria the strategy team considers in selecting securities for client portfolios. Client portfolios are managed according to mutually agreed upon investment guidelines.

This information has been provided by Manulife Investment Management. All material is compiled from sources believed to be reliable and correct but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This is not to be construed as an offer to buy or sell any financial instrument nor does it constitute an offer or invitation to invest in any fund managed by Manulife Investment Management and has not been prepared in connection with any such offer. This information does not constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice or recommendations with respect to the securities and sectors listed.

References to securities, transactions or holdings should not be considered a recommendation to purchase or sell a particular security and there is no assurance that, as of the date of publication, the securities remain in the portfolio. Additionally, it is noted that the securities or transactions referenced do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended during the period referenced and there is no guarantee as to the future profitability of the securities identified and discussed herein.

The indices cited are widely accepted benchmarks for investment performance within their relevant regions, sectors or asset classes, and represent non managed investment portfolio.