Fiera Capital has hired a head of Japan to expand its institutional distribution in the country, with private credit a key focus.
The Canadian asset manager has appointed CJ Morrell to the newly created role of managing director, head of Japan, effective immediately.
The firm, which has over $122bn (£96.4bn) of assets under management, said that the appointment will help it to increase its strategic focus on the Japanese market during a period of comprehensive economic reform in the country.
Morrell will report to Rob Petty, chief executive of Fiera Capital Asia.
Read more: Fiera Private Debt raises $350m for Canadian private credit fund
Morrell will be responsible for growing Fiera’s presence on the ground and building upon its existing relationships in the market. He has over 30 years of experience in the asset management industry, having held roles at Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan and Sloane Robinson Asset Management.
Fiera said that private alternatives are priority asset classes in Japan, with unleveraged, income-generating private credit a key focus.
Fiera also noted that Japan has a “compelling wholesale market for active equity strategies” which it hopes to serve with its selection of funds.
“Morrell brings a wealth of experience in the asset management business, having both investment and distribution experience, and a personal, long-standing commitment to and knowledge of the Japanese market,” said Petty.
“As a firm, our commitment comes at a time when we are seeing the long-term impact of the government’s ongoing financial reform, the end of the zero-interest rate environment, and thus a long-term opportunity for our active asset management mindset and differentiated strategies to offer Japanese investors our long-term Canadian perspective on investments.
“This is particularly the case as institutional and high-net-worth capital shifts to strategies across real assets and equities with inflation-hedging and income generating characteristics, where Fiera Capital is extremely well-placed.”
Fiera has been expanding globally, having opened regional offices in Zurich and Abu Dhabi in February 2024.
