Northern Trust appoints quant solutions chief for APAC

Northern Trust Asset Management (NTAM) has appointed a new head of quantitative investment solutions for Asia-Pacific, tasked with overseeing the firm’s development and distribution of quantitative strategies across the region.

Based in NTAM’s Melbourne office, the newly appointed director of quantitative solutions for APAC, Jan Rohof, will be tasked with overseeing the creation of “high-quality, tailored investment strategies for existing and prospective clients” within the region.

“Rohof’s role in APAC underscores Northern Trust Asset Management’s commitment to supporting regional investors with quantitative expertise, in their home market, and broadens its existing global team,” the firm wrote.

Rohof joins NTAM after more than a decade at Robeco, most recently as client portfolio manager within the firm’s Sydney office, leading quant investing for the APAC region. Previously, he served as an investment specialist in his native Netherlands.

He joins NTAM’s global team of more than 40 quantitative investment professionals, overseeing several strategies that provide factor exposures across the capitalisation and regional equity spectrum.

“Quantitative strategies are a cornerstone of our ability to provide innovative solutions to both our institutional and wealth clients, and we see continuing demand for our quant capabilities,” said NTAM’s head of quantitative strategies international Dr Guido Baltussen.

Baltussen recognised Rohof’s “strong regional expertise and quant experience” which he said would “further [strengthen] our global platform”.

Rohof’s appointment is part of a number of senior additions to NTAM’s global active quantitative business, including Baltussen in 2023, and Dr Milan Vidojevic and Bart van Vliet earlier this year, with the firm noting the continuing demand for these strategies.

As at 30 September 2024, NTAM oversees more than US$40.4 billion ($61.4 billion) in assets in quantitative active strategies.