Lazard Asset Management has appointed State Street Global Advisor’s Robert Forsyth as global head of ETFs as the company builds out its active ETF capability.
Forsyth was global head of ETF strategy at State Street, which has a $1trn ETF business. He has spent over 20 years working with exchange traded products and held positions in product, investment and sales strategy. He spent over a decade at State Street and previously at UBS Wealth Management.
In his new role, based in New York, Forsyth will report to head of North American Distribution Jennifer Ryan.
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Evan Russo, CEO of Lazard Asset Management, said: “We are continuously evolving our platform so that more clients can access our leading investment strategies. Building and expanding an active ETF platform is a key next step in our plans and Rob will play an important role in accelerating our ambitions.
“Over the course of his career, Rob has distinguished himself as a leader who can build, scale, and distribute exchange traded products that resonate with a wide range of investors. We look forward to leveraging the breadth of his skills and experiences to advance our vision and objectives.”
Lazard launched its first ETF product in June this year, open to Australian investors. The firm said it plans to build on this product launch as well as develop its ETF platform.
“The opportunity to join Lazard and help this storied firm build its active ETF platform is unique,” Forsyth said.
“The Lazard brand, the quality of its investment products, and the firm’s global reach will help bring sophisticated investment products to a larger number of clients through exchange traded products. I am eager to help build the platform and bring a more efficient and tax-friendly vehicle to investors.”
See also: Will active ETFs prove to be as successful as passives?
