Matthews Expands Client Focus, Announces Doug Byrkit as Head of Distribution and Global Client Service


SAN FRANCISCO, April 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Matthews announces that Doug Byrkit has joined the firm as Head of Distribution and Global Client Service. As a member of the senior management team, Doug will be responsible for the leadership of Matthews’ distribution and global client service teams. In this role, Doug will deepen and expand client relationships in North America, with a particular focus on the firm’s growing institutional business. He will also continue to enhance the overall client experience through the delivery of more customized Emerging Market investment solutions that represent a growing need from U.S. investors.

Matthews provides investors with a broad range of investment solutions across Emerging Markets, Asia and China. These include global, regional, country and thematic strategies available in SMAs, Active ETFs, mutual funds and European-based vehicles. The firm also provides customized solutions for investors, including sustainability focused strategies and an ability to fine-tune country and risk exposures in portfolios.

“Doug brings over 20 years of sales leadership to Matthews and his extensive client-focused experience includes a deep understanding of the needs of sophisticated investors. The institutional market represents an important growth opportunity for the firm as investors increasingly seek more active exposures to Emerging Markets,” said Cooper Abbott, Chief Executive Officer of Matthews. “Doug has a solution mindset and a proven track record in partnering with some of the largest and most complex investment institutions. Matthews’ clear value proposition in Emerging Market, Asia, and China investments is based on 30+ years’ experience in these dynamic markets. Doug’s appointment underscores our commitment to making these important opportunities for return and diversification available in intermediary and institutional channels.”

Doug joins from Dimensional Fund Advisors where he was Head of Institutional - Americas, responsible for institutional business development and client relationship management.

Doug Byrkit said, “I am delighted to join Matthews. The firm is recognized as a leader within the Emerging Markets asset classes, and with the recent launch of Active ETFs, Matthews provides a global platform for partnering with clients on a core part of their portfolio. Given this strong capability set, I look forward to increasing the firm’s presence in the institutional market and deepening its intermediary distribution capabilities in the U.S.”

Media Contact in the U.S.:
KANTER
Mitchell Altman
+1 703 685 9308

Media Contact in Europe:
Sam Emery
Quill PR
+44 207 466 5056

About Matthews:
Matthews is an independent, privately owned investment manager founded in 1991 on the belief that Emerging Markets offer exceptional long-term growth potential. As a trusted and experienced guide, Matthews takes a long-term research-driven investment approach to construct highly differentiated portfolios that focus on Emerging Markets, Asia and China. The firm manages assets on behalf of institutions, advisors and individual investors globally in vehicles that include SMAs, mutual funds and Active ETFs. For more information about Matthews, please visit matthewsasia.com.

Disclosure
This announcement is for informational purposes only and does not, in any way, constitute investment advice or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security or product mentioned herein. 

You should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Matthews Asia Funds before making an investment decision. A prospectus with this and other information about the Funds may be obtained by visiting matthewsasia.com. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

The value of an investment in the Fund can go down as well as up and possible loss of principal is a risk of investing. Investments in international, emerging and frontier markets involve risks such as economic, social and political instability, market illiquidity, currency fluctuations, high levels of volatility, and limited regulation. Additionally, investing in emerging and frontier securities involves greater risks than investing in securities of developed markets, as issuers in these countries generally disclose less financial and other information publicly or restrict access to certain information from review by non-domestic authorities. Emerging and frontier markets tend to have less stringent and less uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, limited regulatory or governmental oversight, and limited investor protection or rights to take action against issuers, resulting in potential material risks to investors. Investing in Chinese securities involve risks. Heightened risks related to the regulatory environment and the potential actions by the Chinese government could negatively impact performance. In addition, single-country and sector funds may be subject to a higher degree of market risk than diversified funds because of concentration in a specific industry, sector or geographic location. Pandemics and other public health emergencies can result in market volatility and disruption.

ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to NAV. Shares of any ETF are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns.

Matthews Asia Funds are distributed in the U.S. by Foreside Distributors LLC and in Latin America by Picton, S.A.