News

Pensions & Investments reports Voya Investment Management has appointed Laura Kane as head of ESG research, a newly established position. P&I says, “In this position, Ms. Kane is responsible for leading Voya’s ‘ESG investment research process across all of the firm’s investment platforms (equity, fixed income, multiasset strategies)’ as well as ‘overseeing and building out a team of ESG-focused analysts’ in order to advance Voya analysts’ and portfolio managers’ ‘understanding and consideration of ESG factors into their investment processes.’” Voya’s co-head of Fundamental Research and Kane’s superior said, “Our objective is to systematically research and compare environmental, social and governance factors for all the companies in which we invest and consider how these factors may affect a company’s long-term potential performance by addressing emerging risks and opportunities. Laura brings a wealth of expertise in this regard. That expertise, combined with the work we have done already, means we are well positioned to integrate ESG into our investment process across all of our asset classes.”

Voya Investment Management (Voya IM), the asset management business of Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), has completed its previously announced acquisition of the investment advisory business and certain other assets of small-cap growth specialist Tygh Capital Management (TCM).

Voya Investment Management (Voya IM), the asset management business of Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), announced today that it has hired Laura Kane, CFA, CPA as head of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Research. Kane reports to Jim Dorment, CFA, co-head of Fundamental Research & head of Value Equity.

The Wall Street Journal reports that investors seeking higher yields have pushed fixed-income sales to record highs, especially for riskier debt offering higher payouts. The uptick in inflation has pushed price increases above average junk bond yields, an inversion of the way investors traditionally think of the bond market. Voya Investment Management Chief Investment Officer Matt Toms believes that investors are looking more at each individual issuer rather than categories, saying, “It is now about which companies can manage supply and pricing pressures and less so whether they can survive through the pandemic.”

Ignites spoke with Voya Investment Management CEO Christine Hurtsellers on the impact of the pandemic on Voya’s distribution and sales teams. Hurtsellers said that, as the pandemic has carried on, it has made establishing relationships with clients “harder and harder.” At the same time, Hurtsellers said the new challenges “massively accelerated our digitization.”

Voya Investment Management has named Vincent Costa Co-Chief Investment Officer for Equities effective Jan. 1, according to a statement. Costa “will work closely with Michael Pytosh, who has been CIO of equities since 2017 and head of equities since 2010, the release noted.” Voya spokesman Kristopher Kagel “confirmed by email that Mr. Costa will also retain his current positions as head of the quantitative equity team and portfolio manager in Voya’s large-cap value strategy group.” Voya “also named James Dorment and Kristy Finnegan as co-heads of fundamental research in the equities platform, both newly created positions. Both Mr. Dorment and Ms. Finnegan will keep their portfolio management responsibilities on the value and growth strategies teams, respectively, the release added.”  

FundFire reports a recent Cerulli Associates survey found that distribution teams “are increasingly turning to data analytics to drive faster growth but are running into challenges in pulling the right data together and convincing wholesalers to actually use the tools they put in place.” The survey showed 95% of distribution executives cited “insufficient technology infrastructure” as “very challenging” or “somewhat challenging” to efforts in data analytics. Moreover, 70% of distribution executives “considered sourcing data to be either very or somewhat challenging.” Voya Investment Management Head of Distribution Enablement and Intelligence Jane Conway said many asset management firms make large investments in core platforms “and spend a lot of money on data without a blueprint or a way to integrate that data into an infrastructure that supports the distribution ecosystem.”

American Banker reported that, for its Most Powerful Women program, it has “chosen some specific types of roles that have taken on outsize importance in recent times and, within each category, highlighted a few extraordinary female leaders who stand out.” In the Most Powerful Women in ESG category, Voya Investment Management CEO Christine Hurtsellers is listed among the women who “are on the forefront and effecting change at their companies and beyond in their distinct roles.” American Banker says ESG principles “are quickly becoming part of the mainstream and being applied by businesses across every aspect of their operations.”

FundFire reports, “After being forced to adapt to the rapid changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, asset managers are embracing a new normal as they adopt hybrid strategies to integrate traditional and digital distribution models.” Industry leaders “reflected on the changing distribution landscape during a panel at the Financial Times’ Future of Asset Management North America conference on Thursday.” Voya Investment Management CEO Christine Hurtsellers said, “What used to take a wholesaler three hours to prepare for ... now takes our wholesalers five minutes.” Hurtsellers added that she “can’t underscore enough how important continuing to invest in data is for the industry.”

In a press release distributed by Business Wire, Voya Financial announced “that it has published its 2020-2021 Impact Report, which provides an overview of Voya’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) activities and performance from Jan. 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021.” Voya Financial Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rodney O. Martin, Jr., said, “Our Impact Report reflects our commitment to making a positive difference in the world around us as it continues to evolve. This includes how our employees rose to the extraordinary challenges of the past 18 months – continually improving how we work together and serve our clients and communities.”