Matthew Johnson returns to Nikko AM

Nikko Asset Management NZ welcomes the return of Matthew Johnson to its award-winning Fixed Income team.

Johnson returns to Nikko AM NZ as a Fixed Income Manager after a six-year absence, including almost three years in M&A in Canada’s Oil Patch at Caledonian Royalty Corporation and 18 months with The Comfort Group, Auckland, where he led strategy. Johnson is a CFA Charterholder with degrees in finance and statistics.

Nikko AM NZ Head of Bonds and Currency Fergus McDonald says the firm’s fixed interest business has expanded in recent years and currently manages about $3.6 billion in assets.

“Matt’s strong analytical background and project management experience make him an ideal fit, and he’s gained invaluable experience working overseas and in specialist sectors. Matt has a strong work ethic too, and obviously a passion for financial markets, and the team are very pleased to have him back,” says McDonald.

Johnson rounds out a team comprising McDonald and Senior Portfolio Manager Ian Bellew, who have managed portfolios together since 1999 and have over 50 years’ combined investment experience. This year has proven particularly successful, winning INFINZ Bonds Manager of the Year and the NZ Fixed Interest Sector at the 2018 FundSource Awards.

McDonald says his team aims to maintain that performance in 2019, and Johnson’s appointment is part of a commitment to providing clients with a range of well-resourced, research-focused fixed interest strategies.

Nikko AM NZ actively manages approximately NZD5.2 billion of investments, including corporate superannuation schemes, community and charitable trusts, foundations, financial planners, banks, insurance companies, KiwiSaver Schemes, other fund managers and retail investors. It manages domestic assets through its Auckland-based investment team and employs carefully selected offshore managers to manage global assets.

Nikko AM is one of Asia’s largest asset managers, with total assets under management of USD216 billion. It provides high-conviction, active fund management across a range of Equity, Fixed Income and Multi-Asset strategies, and employs around 195 investment professionals worldwide. This makes Nikko AM NZ the only dedicated investment manager in New Zealand to be a part of a specialist global investment manager.

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