Manulife Investment Management appoints APAC-based Nick Ping to global Deputy CIO of its timberland investment business

Manulife Investment Management today announced the appointment of Nick Ping to the position of Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Timberland, effective 1 July 2022. He takes over the global role from Tony Cascio, who retires at the end of July.

Reporting to Tom Sarno, Global Head of Timberland Investments, Manulife Investment Management, Nick is responsible for the development of new investment strategies and growth initiatives, client investment governance and identifying and mitigating risk exposures related to Manulife Investment Management’s timberland investment process, products and client investments.

“Over the years, Nick oversaw the growth of our timberland and agriculture business in the Asia Pacific region, which is an important part of our global strategy. As investors around the world pay closer attention to natural capital solutions, Nick will play a critical role in generating returns for our clients, while at the same time create positive impact on the timberland assets we manage,” said Tom Sarno.

“We would also like to thank Tony for his years of service at Manulife Investment Management. He has been instrumental in leading our Client Account Management teams and serving as Deputy Chief Investment Officer. We wish him all the best in retirement,” Tom Sarno added.

Continuing to be based in Melbourne, Nick is directly involved with business development activities, structuring investment management agreements, and designing timberland investment goals and constraints. He is a member of Manulife Investment Management’s Timberland Strategy Team and the Timberland and Agriculture Investment Committee. He was previously Managing Director, Institutional Business, Asia Pacific, Timberland and Agriculture and, before that, was Vice President Business Development and Resource Planning Australasia.

Prior to joining Manulife Investment Management in 2008, Nick coordinated the resource planning functions for Hancock Victorian Plantations Pty Limited, before joining Pöyry Management Consulting, where he consulted on a variety of projects throughout Asia Pacific, including forest appraisals, due diligence and strategic planning.

He is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and full member of the Institute of Foresters of Australia and the New Zealand Institute of Forestry. Nick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Science (Hons) and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Forest Science from the University of Melbourne, and a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from Deakin University.

Manulife Investment Management manages approximately 6 million acres of timberland across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, and Chile as part of its comprehensive private markets strategies. It also oversees approximately 400,000 acres of prime farmland in major agricultural regions of the United States and in Canada, Chile, and Australia.

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.

Source: Manulife Investment Management