MacKay Shields names Janelle Woodward president

MacKay Shields, the $144 billion global asset management unit of New York Life Investments Co., has appointed Janelle Woodward president.

Woodward, who will also lead the firm’s diversity and inclusion initiative, succeeds Lucille Protas, who is retiring.

Woodward joins MacKay after spending more than a decade at BMO Global Asset Management, where she most recently served as global head of fixed income.

She also served as president and portfolio manager of Taplin Canida & Habacht, an independently regulated subsidiary of BMO focused on fixed-income strategies, and has been an executive sponsor and advocate for diversity and inclusion initiatives within BMO and across the financial services industry.

“Janelle is a seasoned asset management executive with deep expertise in the global fixed-income market,” Jeffrey Phlegar, chairman and chief executive of MacKay Shields, said in the press release.

“Her investment acumen combined with her prior experience developing and implementing business strategy will no doubt serve as a great complement to MacKay’s existing portfolio management group, which will remain unchanged,” Mr. Phlegar said. “We continue to pride ourselves on the long-standing investment autonomy of our investment teams as we deliver investment excellence to our clients across the globe.”

Woodward will work with Phlegar in overseeing the firm’s seven autonomous investment teams and will partner with the head of global distribution to further address growing demand for custom investment solutions.

Woodward holds an M.B.A. from Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University, a B.S. in business systems from Taylor University and is a CFA charter holder.

“I’m excited to join MacKay, a distinguished leader in investing, at a time when the asset management industry is rapidly changing and clients across the globe are increasingly seeking new solutions to investment challenges,” Woodward said in the statement. “I look forward to partnering with each of MacKay’s investment teams as well as the global distribution team to continue to strive to deliver the exceptional performance and service our clients expect, while identifying additional ways to align best-in-class capabilities with an evolving industry need.”