Allianz Global Investors has added 10 people to its fledgling U.S. fixed income team, bringing the total to 12 and setting the stage for the launch of strategies in areas including U.S. core fixed income and liability-driven investing.
The firm, which had $583 billion in assets under management as of September 2017, said it would also introduce strategies focused on U.S. core-plus fixed income and preferred securities.
The new hires include Karl Chang, who was brought on as a portfolio manager for U.S. fixed income. Chang was most recently at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, where he worked with Frank Salem, who joined Allianz as a senior portfolio manager in November. At Allianz, Chang will focus on liability-driven investing.
Allianz also hired Columbia Threadeneedle’s Willow Piersol and Jeffrey Cicirelli as credit research analysts. They will report to Carl Pappo, who was hired as head of U.S. fixed income from Columbia Threadneedle in November.
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Allianz has been expanding its fixed-income capabilities globally for five years, adding Asian fixed income, emerging markets debt, and U.K. fixed income. Last year, it acquired boutique Rogge Global Partners, which gave Allianz global fixed-income investments. Since 2012, Allianz has grown its fixed-income assets from €109 billion to €195 billion ($134 billion to $240 billion).
