Morningstar announces global manager research team appointments

Morningstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, today announced several leadership appointments within its global Manager Research team.

Grant Kennaway has been appointed to the new role of Global Practice Leader, overseeing Morningstar’s manager research practices around the world. Kennaway, based in Sydney, most recently was Head of Manager Research for Morningstar in the Asia Pacific region. Chris Traulsen, CFA, based in London, has been appointed Global Ratings Leader, a new role in which he is responsible for Morningstar Analyst Rating™ assignments globally. Traulsen was most recently Director of Manager Research for Morningstar in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

“Grant and Chris are proven leaders who will ensure that we continue to produce differentiated manager research that helps investors achieve better outcomes,” Jeffrey Ptak, CFA, Morningstar’s Global Head of Manager Research, said. “We’re making these appointments as part of a broader realignment of our team. Grant will manage our four regional practices, including a new cross-border team. Chris oversees newly formed global asset class teams that will be responsible for ratings efficacy and global thought leadership.”

To facilitate the global manager research team’s realignment into four regional practices – North America, Asia-Pacific, Cross-Border (Europe and Asia), and the UK – Morningstar has made additional leadership appointments:

·         Laura Pavlenko Lutton has been appointed North America Practice Leader, directing the firm’s manager research analyst teams in the United States and Canada. Most recently, Lutton was Director of Manager Research for equity strategies in North America and also headed up the global research supporting the Parent pillar ratings, which contribute to a fund’s Morningstar Analyst Rating. Lutton is based in Chicago. Lutton succeeds Jon Hale, Ph.D., CFA, former Head of Manager Research for North America, who has been named Global Head of Sustainability Research, overseeing Morningstar’s new Sustainability Rating™ for funds and the company’s research related to environmental, social, and governance issues.

·         Wing Chan and Javier Saenz de Cenzano, CFA, have been appointed co-leaders of the cross-border (Europe and Asia) practice. Chan, based in Hong Kong, will continue to lead Morningstar’s manager research analyst teams in Hong Kong and China. He was most recently Director of Manager Research for Asian markets. Saenz de Cenzano, currently Director of Manager Research for Iberia and Italy, will now oversee the manager research analyst teams in Europe, excluding the UK. He is based in Madrid.

·         Jonathan Miller will join Morningstar in London in May as Director of Manager Research for the UK. He joins Morningstar from Citywire, where he has been involved in fund analysis since 2003, most recently as head of research.

·         Grant Kennaway remains head of the Asia-Pacific manager research practice, which comprises Australia, New Zealand, India, and Korea.

Morningstar has also formed four new global asset class teams: global equity, global fixed income, global multi-asset and alternative, and global passive. In establishing those teams, Morningstar has made the following leadership appointments:

·         Tom Whitelaw has been appointed to the new role of Global Equity Ratings Leader, responsible for Analyst Rating assignments for equity strategies globally. He currently serves as Director of Manager Research Ratings for Australia and New Zealand and will relocate to Chicago. Kathryn Young, who is based in Sydney, will succeed him as chair of the Asia-Pacific ratings committee.

·         Janet Yang, CFA, has been appointed to the new role of global multi-asset and alternatives ratings leader, responsible for Analyst Rating assignments for multi-asset and alternative strategies globally. She continues as director of the firm’s North American multi-asset manager research analyst team and is assuming additional responsibility for the North America alternatives team. Yang is based in Chicago.

·         Thomas Lancereau, CFA, based in Paris, has been appointed chair of the ratings committee that oversees the assignment of Analyst Ratings on strategies available for sale in cross-border markets in Europe and Asia, succeeding Chris Traulsen.

·         Ben Johnson, CFA, based in Chicago, continues to lead Morningstar’s global ETF and passive strategies research team. In addition, Russel Kinnel will continue to chair the North America Analyst Ratings committee, while Miller will become chair of the UK Analyst Ratings committee. Kinnel is based in Chicago. Morningstar will name a global fixed income ratings leader in the future.

·         Bridget Hughes, CFA, succeeds Lutton to lead Morningstar’s global research supporting the Parent pillar ratings, which contribute to a fund’s Morningstar Analyst Rating. Based in Chicago, she previously oversaw Parent pillar ratings and firm-level stewardship research in the United States.

“These key leadership appointments reinforce the depth and breadth of our global manager research team,” Ptak added. “By organising the team into regional practices and establishing global asset class teams, we can drive research best practices and better respond to the diverse needs of investors around the world.”

Morningstar has approximately 115 manager research analysts worldwide who cover nearly 4,000 funds. The company provides data on approximately 199,000 open-end mutual funds, 9,800 closed-end funds, and 13,000 exchange-traded product listings as at 31 December 2015.