Matt Shafer, formerly head of international distribution at Natixis Investment Management, is to join BNY Mellon’s asset management business in a similar role.
Shafer will join BNY Mellon Investment Management in January 2022 and work across the asset manager’s investment businesses as head of European distribution.
The London-based role is newly created and covers the UK and continental Europe.
BNY Mellon, which has $2.3 trillion of assets under management, said Shafer will focus on setting and executing longer term growth plans in countries where the firm is already active, but he will also look for new opportunities. He will oversee regional business and product development, as well as client service strategy.
Shafer will also chair the firm’s Emea distribution executive committee.
At Natixis IM, Shafer covered financial institutions, intermediary and retail markets, and worked across the firm’s captive assets.
Among roles earlier in his career, Shafer was head of sales for offshore funds, alternative investments and managed products at Merrill Lynch in the US, and then in London.
Matt Oomen, global head of distribution at BNY Mellon IM, said Schafer is a “highly experienced and well-respected distribution leader” in the industry and a strong advocate of the “multi-investment firm model”.
BNY Mellon owns eight asset management houses, including Insight Investment and Newton. Natixis IM has over 20 affiliate managers including Ostrum Asset Management and Loomis Sayles.
Oomen added that Shafer has a “significant understanding” of BNY Mellon IM clients and the investment challenges that they face, as well as a background in building and growing distribution businesses across the UK and continental Europe.
*Read a 2020 interview with Matt Shafer here.
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