October 3, 2025
Managing today’s market risks with liquid alternatives
As uncertainties rise in equity and bond markets, liquid alternatives offer a means for investors to diversify, mitigate risk, and enhance portfolio resilience.
A diverse, unified alternative investments platform
In-house capabilities. Lasting partnerships. Storied history. There’s an alternative way to explore alts—and it starts here. Push the boundaries of conventional with diverse alternative investing strategies, styles, and investment vehicles. Lean on our profound alternative investing expertise, built on sound partnerships and inspired by century-old foundational principles.
$128B in alternative assets under management, with 130+ years experience
Manulife Financial Corporation (Manulife) is a leading international financial services group with $961 billion in assets under management and administration and $128 billion in alternative assets under management. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Manulife is listed on the Toronto, New York, Philippine, and Hong Kong stock exchanges. Manulife operates primarily as Manulife John Hancock Investments in the United States and under Manulife Investment Management for global wealth and asset management. The group draws on internal and external expertise to offer a comprehensive range of alternative investment capabilities.¹
Alternative/Private credit
AUM: $41.7 billion
Alternative yield source, potential for differentiated returns, and through cycle-investing
- Asset-backed securities
- Asset-based lending
- Direct lending (sponsor and non-sponsor backed)
- Mezzanine debt strategies
- Collateralized loan obligations (CLOs)
- Multi-asset credit
Real estate
AUM: $19.2 billion
Quality, location-driven office, industrial, multifamily, and real assets
- Core
- Core plus
- Value add
- Opportunistic
- Credit
Liquid alternatives
AUM: $5.5 billion
Diversified range of alternative hedging strategies
- Multi-strategy
- Macro trading
- Multi-asset absolute return
- Long/short equity
- Infrastructure
- Real Estate
Private equity
AUM: $24.2 billion
Direct, primary, and secondary middle market investment opportunities
- Private co-investing
- Secondary placements
Infrastructure
AUM: $22.2 billion
Potential for long-term, predictable cash flows and downside risk mitigation
- Utilities
- Transportation
- Midstream Energy
- Telecom
Timberland and Agriculture
30+ years of experience
AUM: $15.9 billion
Exposure to sustainable and diversified timber and agriculture assets
- Mature permanent crops
- Developmental permanent crops
- Integrated/processing operations
Important disclosures
Important disclosures
1 All AUM calculated on a fair value basis in U.S. dollars (USD); AUM and years of experience as of 3/31/26, most recent figures available. Alternative/Private Credit AUM includes Manulife CQS, Manulife Comvest, and non-affiliated Asset-based lending Marathon funds. Liquid Alternatives AUM includes John Hancock retail funds including those managed by non-affiliated Infrastructure and Real Estate Wellington funds. Real Estate, Private Equity, Infrastructure, and Timberland and Agriculture AUM include private market offerings managed by Manulife Investment Management.
What sets us apart
For more than a century, Manulife has been helping investors protect and preserve their assets. This unwavering commitment to managing risk on behalf of investors, coupled with a long history of investing in private markets and our ability to leverage a global footprint, rich tradition of financial stewardship, and a proven track record as a multimanager, is what sets us apart.¹
Investor in liquid alternatives since 1997
We’ve invested in liquid alternatives since 1997, giving us nearly three decades of liquid alternatives investment experience.
Investor in private assets since 1925
Our affiliated asset manager, Manulife Investment Management, is a pioneer in private markets investments, with expertise in both real assets and private equity and credit, as well as a foundation of long-standing relationships with more than 200 sponsor partners.
Insurance heritage and financial stewardship
Our parent company, Manulife, has a strong insurance heritage and aligned interest with investors through substantial general account investments and solid risk management, having navigated numerous market crises since 1887.
Multimanager investment approach since 1988
As a group, we’ve integrated a multimanager approach for over 35 years. Today, we leverage that multimanager expertise to identify and select leading managers as part of our network.
One of the world’s leading natural capital investment managers
Our parent company, Manulife, is one of the world’s largest managers of forestry/timberland and agriculture/farmland.
Global scale
Our global group footprint spans North America, Asia, and Europe, and gives us the ability to source and attract leading alternative investment managers who bring unique insight and expertise to our alternative solutions.
Important disclosures
Important disclosures
As of 6/30/26. Investor in liquid alternatives since 1997 refers to Manulife John Hancock Investments launching its first liquid alternative product, a real estate investment trust, in 1997. Investor in private assets since 1925 refers to Manulife Investment Management investing in real estate since 1925.15+ years of experience in private equity refers to Manulife’s commitment to private equity funds since 2005. Multimanager since 1988 refers to employing a unique manager-of-managers approach for 35+ years, since 1988. One of the world’s leading natural capital investment managers refers to rankings reported by IPE research as of January 2026. Ranking is based on total Natural Capital AUM, which includes forestry/timberland and agriculture/farmland AUM. Firms were asked to provide AUM and the as of dates vary from 12/31/2024 to 12/31/2025.
Our multimanager approach
Since 1988, Manulife John Hancock Investments has integrated a multimanager approach to investing, believing that no one manager is the best in every asset class or strategy. Our group’s global manager research team has over 35 years of experience conducting due diligence on, and selecting, investment managers. The result is a global network that brings together our affiliated investment capabilities and carefully chosen external managers, providing access across alternative strategies, trading styles, and markets worldwide.
Manulife Investment Management
Established asset manager with global resources and expertise extending across equity, fixed-income, and alternative investments as well as asset allocation strategies
Manulife | CQS Investment Management
An alternative credit specialist delivering fundamental, research-driven investment across liquid and semi-liquid credit strategies with a robust operational and risk management infrastructure
Manulife Comvest Credit Partners
Leading middle-market private credit investment firm focused on providing debt capital to sponsored and non-sponsored businesses.
Graham Capital Management
Alternative investment manager emphasizing directional trading strategies with a variety of return and volatility objectives across liquid global markets
Wellington Management
Long-established global asset manager investing across the equity, fixed-income, currency, and commodity markets, including multistrategy, specialty, and alternative investment approaches
CVC Marathon
Established global credit manager that invests across private and public credit markets through multiple credit cycles
Nordea Asset Management
Active asset manager pursuing alpha for clients through a multi-boutique approach, combining internal strengths with exclusive external competencies
Boston Partners
Specialist in traditional value equity investing based on a time-tested investment process developed in the 1980s that emphasizes investing in companies with attractive value characteristics, strong business fundamentals, and positive business momentum
Important disclosures
Important disclosures
Representative sampling of subadvisors. All logos are the property of their respective owners. Manulife Investment Management (MIM), Manulife CQS, and Manulife Comvest are affiliated asset managers.
Market Intelligence alternative insight
As alternative investments gain traction for their return, diversification, and risk-management potential, Market Intelligence: Alternatives builds on our flagship Market Intelligence resource, providing annual insights into the global alternatives landscape from asset managers, broker-dealers, and macro research providers.
| Fund | Morningstar category | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Morningstar category Multistrategy | Use for One-stop alternative allocation solution | |
| Morningstar category | Use for Alternative all-weather strategy | |
| Morningstar category | Use for Alternative all-weather strategy | |
| Morningstar category Long-Short Equity | Use for Alternative equity holding | |
| Morningstar category Macro Trading | Use for Core alternative holding | |
| Morningstar category Infrastructure | Use for Managing downside risk and a potential inflation hedge | |
| Morningstar category Private Debt - General | Use for Diversifying credit holdings | |
| Morningstar category Alternative Credit | Use for All-weather strategy | |
| Morningstar category Tactical Allocation | Use for Core alternative holding | |
| Morningstar category Real Estate | Use for Core alternative holding |
Related viewpoints
September 18, 2025
Could European credit be an income investor's best-kept secret?
Credit investors have tended to prioritize the U.S. market over Europe; however, recent data shows that many European credit assets have consistently delivered higher returns relative to their U.S. counterparts. Might investors be missing a trick?
April 30, 2026
Portfolio Intelligence podcast | How to approach alternatives and private credit today
With alternatives back in the headlines, it’s timely to consider both the opportunities and
challenges they present. David T. Vincent CFA, CAIA, Co-Head of Alternatives Intermediary
Distribution at Manulife Investment Management, joins the podcast to offer clarity on the
market.
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Building better portfolios with alternative investments
Financial professionals: We're here to help you navigate the alternative investing landscape by assessing how to incorporate alternative strategies into your clients' portfolios. Request a complimentary consultation on portfolio construction with alternative strategies, during which we will cover the following areas:
- How to categorize alternative strategies
- The performance blueprint of alternatives
- Effective ways to incorporate alternatives within a portfolio
- Funding strategies for alternatives based on portfolio objectives
Together, we'll ensure that your clients' portfolios are well positioned to achieve their investment goals.
Investors: Ask your financial professional how adding alternative strategies may help you position your portfolio for the long term.
Request a meeting with a John Hancock Investment Consulting Group consultant
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Important disclosures
Important disclosures
Alternative investments involve substantial risks and may not be suitable for all investors. Suitability depends on an investor’s investment objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, financial situation, and ability to bear losses. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal, and there can be no assurance that any alternative investment strategy will achieve its investment objective, generate positive returns, or avoid losses. Alternative strategies may invest in nontraditional or less liquid assets and may employ complex investment techniques, including leverage, derivatives, short sales, private investments, or other strategies that can increase volatility and risk of loss. Alternative investments may be subject to limited liquidity, valuation uncertainty, limited transparency, higher fees, restrictions on redemptions or transfers, limited performance history, and risks that may be difficult to identify or evaluate. Private credit, real estate, infrastructure, timberland, agriculture, private equity, and other alternative strategies are also subject to strategy-specific risks, including credit, interest-rate, market, operational, regulatory, environmental, commodity, counter-party, and manager risks. Certain investment vehicles may not be available to all investors or in all jurisdictions and may be subject to investor qualification, eligibility, and other requirements. This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security or investment strategy. Diversification does not guarantee a profit or eliminate the risk of loss. Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, liquidity terms, and eligibility requirements of any investment vehicle before investing.
Investing involves risks, including the potential loss of principal. These products carry many individual risks, including some that are unique to each strategy.
Diversification does not guarantee a profit or eliminate the risk of a loss.
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