Looking for various ways to grow their businesses, exchange traded fund providers have tapped financial veterans to head up investment strategy and product development in an ever expanding industry.
For example, Global X Management recently hired Jon Maier as the new Chief Investment Officer for Global X. Maier joined Global X from Merrill Lynch Wealth Management where he was the Senior Portfolio Manager for their ETF Model Portfolio business, helping assets jump to over $40 billion from less than $1 billion. He became so well known within this segment of the industry that the strategies acquired the sobriquet “the Maier models.” Maier is expected to also develop ETF products and craft model portfolios at Global X.
“In the way I see it, Global X has four verticals of types of funds that we have,” Maier said at the recent Morningstar ETF Conference, pointing out low-cost high-income funds, interesting thematic funds, country ETFs and factor ETFs.
Global X is known for its targeted or niche market exposures as the fund provider offers a number of country-specific ETF picks within both Asian and European markets to help investors potentially enhance returns or bolster broad regional picks. For instance, the Global X MSCI Greece ETF (NYSEArca: GREK) has been a popular country-specific play that enabled investors to capitalize turns in this emerging market.