John Hancock Investment Management confirms four new trustees for the John Hancock Group of Funds

Builds and sustains strategic approach to John Hancock Group of Funds Board looking toward the future of fund management

BOSTON, September 20, 2022—John Hancock Investment Management, a company of Manulife Investment Management, announced today the appointment of four new trustees to the Board of Trustees of the John Hancock Group of Funds, including three new independent trustees. The new trustees have extensive combined experience in financial services, regulatory and compliance management, technology, and evolving investor markets, while collectively bringing a strategic focus on the future of fund management. The new trustees are:

Noni L. Ellison — Ms. Ellison currently serves as senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary at Tractor Supply Company and has more than 25 years of executive leadership, legal and compliance experience. In addition to managing Tractor Supply’s legal department, she also oversees the company’s risk management, government relations, licensing, and quality assurance/customs compliance, as well as the company’s environmental, social and governance efforts. Ms. Ellison received her bachelor of arts degree from Howard University, magna cum laude. She earned her law degree and M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.

Dean Garfield — Mr. Garfield is currently vice president of public policy and a member of the executive leadership team at Netflix, where he oversees global public policy and regulatory affairs. Prior to joining Netflix in 2019, he served in multiple executive roles at information technology and entertainment companies providing significant global operational, governance, regulatory, and leadership experience. He was appointed by President Obama and then re-appointed by President Trump to the President’s Trade Advisory Council and was recently appointed to the Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Automation. Mr. Garfield received a joint Juris Doctor and master’s degree from New York University School of Law and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Administration and International Affairs at Princeton University. He earned his undergraduate degree in English language and literature at Middlebury College.

Patricia Lizarraga — Ms. Lizarraga is currently the managing partner of Hypatia Capital Group, an asset management firm that focuses on sponsoring women CEOs and investors. She has more than 25 years of global and merchant banking experience and has founded several successful companies. Ms. Lizarraga has expertise in financial services and investment matters, as well as operational and risk oversight. Ms. Lizarraga also has strong corporate governance and regulatory experience in the investment management industry. She earned a bachelor of arts degree, cum laude, from Yale University and her M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Paul Lorentz — Mr. Lorentz is a member of Manulife’s executive leadership team and is president and CEO at Manulife Investment Management. He has direct oversight over the global wealth and asset management business, including retirement, retail, and asset management solutions for investors worldwide. Prior to his current role, Mr. Lorentz served as general manager of individual wealth management and insurance for Manulife’s Canadian division and has held a variety of roles of increasing responsibility throughout the firm’s Canadian operations. Mr. Lorentz is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and earned his undergraduate degree in mathematics at University of Waterloo.

“We’re very excited to onboard these new trustees at this pivotal time for the asset management industry,” said Dr. Hassell McClellan, chairperson of the board of trustees of the John Hancock Group of Funds. “The John Hancock Funds Board is a highly strategic asset for the funds and shareholders and the new trustees will enhance and strengthen the board. The new trustees are exceptional individuals, accomplished professionals, and experts in their respective fields, with diverse backgrounds and personal experiences that will provide the board with additional leadership resources, expertise, and viewpoints.”

“A strong board is and will remain a key to the success of fund shareholders,” said Andrew G. Arnott, CEO, John Hancock Investment Management and head of U.S. and Europe, Manulife Investment Management and president, John Hancock Funds Board. “We’re pleased to share the approach taken to recruit such an exemplary group of new trustees. Their expertise and deep backgrounds in such important subject areas will bring continued success to our shareholders.”

“Evolution in the investment landscape requires fund boards to be even more strategic with their board composition and structure,” added Dr. McClellan. “We are committed to ensuring that the John Hancock Group of Funds Board is composed of individuals with complementary skills to assist investors with their investment and savings goals. Our objective is to prepare and ‘future proof’ the board for an increasingly competitive, global, regulatory-impacted, and technology-driven investment environment.”

With this announcement, the John Hancock Group of Funds Board now comprises 12 independent trustees and three interested trustees with a broad skillset and knowledge. In selecting the new additions, the John Hancock Group of Funds Board reviewed a broad and extensive pool of candidates to select the additive and complementary skills needed to build a thoughtful and strategically composed board to meet the challenges, and take advantage of the opportunities, that the asset management industry will see over the next decade and beyond. 

About John Hancock Investment Management

A company of Manulife Investment Management, we serve investors through a unique multimanager approach, complementing our extensive in-house capabilities with an unrivaled network of specialized asset managers, backed by some of the most rigorous investment oversight in the industry. The result is a diverse lineup of time-tested investments from a premier asset manager with a heritage of financial stewardship.

About Manulife Investment Management

Manulife Investment Management is the global brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 19 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We’re committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

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This material does not constitute tax, legal, or accounting advice, is for informational purposes only and is not meant as investment advice. Please consult your tax or financial professional before making any investment decisions.

Media Contact                                               

Elizabeth Bartlett  

Elizabeth_Bartlett@jhancock.com