JP Morgan Asset Management (JPMAM) looked internally to appoint its global head of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), who has spent nearly 20 years at the firm.
Travis Spence, head of ETF distribution for EMEA at JPMAM, has commenced in the global head of ETFs position.
Based in London, Spence will lead the ETF product development, capital markets and newly formed ETF insights teams, while leveraging the firm’s active investment platforms to enhance its leadership in the active ETFs space.
He will also continue to head ETF distribution for the EMEA region and will report to Jed Laskowitz, CIO and global head of asset management solutions at JPMAM.
The new global head of ETFs first joined the asset manager in 2004 as head of global liquidity business for APAC, based in Hong Kong. After nearly 10 years in the role, he went on to become head of global strategic relationship group for APAC in 2014 and transitioned to international head of global fixed income in 2016. Last year, Spence took up the head of ETF distribution – EMEA position.
The new appointment follows JPMAM’s recent expansion in the ETF space. Over the past decade, the company’s global ETF platform has grown to nearly US$190 billion across more than 100 ETFs. This has placed JPMAM as the second-largest player in active ETF assets under management, according to Bloomberg.
Most recently, the asset manager launched its JPMorgan Global Equity Premium Income Complex ETF (JEGA) on the ASX earlier this month. The actively managed outcome-oriented ETF strategy looks to produce an income of 7–9 per cent annualised each month, combining equities with options to balance yield, capital growth and risk.
Commenting on the announcement, Laskowitz said: “The verdict is in, ETFs offer significant advantages versus other vehicles because of their liquidity transformation capabilities, ease of use, accessibility, tax efficiency, and value. We are committed to revolutionising the landscape by providing the highest quality active ETFs in the industry.
“Under Travis’ leadership, we are confident that our ETF franchise will continue to innovate and help our clients achieve their goals.”
Spence was thrilled to be taking on the expanded role within the organisation: “Our ETF franchise will continue to be anchored by our deep fundamental and quantitative research, active management, and risk management capabilities – supported by the deep expertise of our ETF specialists, product development, capital markets and strong client relationships across every region.”
