🎙Alt Goes Mainstream EP. 100 - Manulife's Anne Valentine Andrews - connecting real assets with real money and the world of infrastructure investing
by Michael Sidgmore, Co-founder & Partner at Broadhaven Ventures. | Originally published on Alt Goes Mainstream.
Guest post by Michael Sidgmore, Co-founder & Partner at Broadhaven Ventures. | Originally published on Alt Goes Mainstream.
Welcome back to the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast.
Today’s episode features a guest who has consistently and astutely figured out the growth areas in private markets.
We are joined by Manulife’s new Global Head of Private Markets Anne Valentine Andrews. She’s responsible for the strategy, business development, and growth of Manulife Investment Management’s private markets business. Manulife has a platform that spans real estate, infrastructure, timber, agriculture, private equity, and credit.
Anne has a comprehensive and informed purview of both private markets trends and of the different asset classes. She brings together the CIOs from each asset class in the Manulife business and works with the global product group to drive private markets product innovation across the institutional, retail, and retirement channels.
Anne has a wealth of experience in private markets and in infrastructure in particular. She joined Manulife from BlackRock, where she was most recently Global Head of Infrastructure and Real Estate. Previously, she was Co-Head and Chief Operating Officer for the Morgan Stanley infrastructure platform and was a Director at Macquarie Bank.
Anne and I had a fascinating conversation about the evolution of private markets and how to build out a private markets investment platform and its brand. We discussed:
How to approach building a private markets investment platform at an industry behemoth.
Why culture matters at an investment firm.
The continued consolidation of alternative asset managers.
What it means to connect real assets with real money.
How to build a brand and educate investors.
How to bring private markets investment opportunities into retirement accounts.
The opportunity in infrastructure investing.
Thanks Anne for coming on the show to share your experience and wisdom on private markets. We hope you enjoy.
Show Notes
00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message from Ultimus Fund Solutions
01:18 Podcast Opening and Guest Introduction
03:39 Anne Valentine Andrews' Career Journey
04:42 Evolution of the Infrastructure Investments
05:41 Infrastructure’s Resilience and Growth
06:27 Building a Private Markets Platform
14:28 Challenges and Strategies in Making Acquisitions
17:12 Evaluating Culture and Integration in Asset Management
18:47 Building a Comprehensive Platform
20:20 Educating Investors and Expanding Access
23:29 Future of Alternatives in Retirement Accounts
26:43 Platformization of Alternatives
28:01 Building and Marketing a Trustworthy Brand in Financial Services
29:30 Learning from Other Industries: Amazon's Influence
31:15 The Evolution of Asset Management
31:57 Adapting to Market Changes and Mega Trends
33:34 The Importance of Long-Term Investment Strategies
34:33 Decarbonization and Natural Capital
35:32 The Importance of Long-Term Thinking
40:02 Connecting Real Assets to Real Money
45:42 Risks and Opportunities in Infrastructure Investment
48:03 The Role of Scale in Private Markets in Infrastructure
49:21 Future of Alternative Investments
