Horizons ETFs Announces Appointment of Co-CEOs

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Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc.

Mar 02, 2015, 20:00 ET

TORONTO, March 2, 2015 /CNW/ - Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc. ("Horizons ETFs"), the Toronto-based manager and trustee of a family of exchange traded funds, announces today that Mr. Taeyong Lee, Executive Chairman of Horizons ETFs, along with Steven Hawkins, Chief Investment Officer of Horizons ETFs, have been appointed as Co-Chief Executive Officers of Horizons ETFs.

Going forward, Mr. Lee will serve as Executive Chairman and Co-CEO and Mr. Hawkins will serve as Co-CEO and Chief Investment Officer. Mr. Lee and Mr. Hawkins have also been appointed as Co-CEOs of AlphaPro Management Inc., which serves as the manager and trustee for certain of the exchange traded funds in the Horizons ETFs family.

Mr. Lee, the Global Head of ETFs for Mirae Asset Global Investments ("Mirae Asset"), has more than 20 years of experience in the investment industry and has spent the last 13 years working with exchange traded funds in North America and Asia. Mr. Hawkins, who has been with Horizons ETFs since 2009, and one of its predecessor companies since 2007, will oversee the day-to-day business and affairs of Horizons ETFs.

"The board of Horizons ETFs felt that the business would greatly benefit from a Co-CEO leadership structure led by Steve Hawkins and myself," said Mr. Lee. "I will be staying on as Co-CEO to leverage my role as Global Head of ETFs, which allows me to focus on strategically aligning the Canadian ETF business with Mirae's expanding global business initiatives. Steve will be heavily focused on the day-to-day operations of the Canadian ETF business. I believe this is going to be a tremendous partnership that will not only benefit Horizons ETFs, but our global ETF business."

"I am very excited by this new opportunity within Horizons ETFs. With our well established management team, product line-up and brand, Horizons ETFs is firmly positioned to continue its growth and success," said Mr. Hawkins. "I am very proud of our team's collective accomplishments and I look forward to building upon the strength of this foundation."

The rest of the current Horizons ETFs senior management team remains unchanged. Howard Atkinson, President and the Global Head of ETF Sales and Marketing, with Horizons ETFs since 2006, continues to oversee the sales and marketing strategy of Horizons ETFs while focusing on synergistic sales opportunities across Mirae Asset's global ETF platform. Kevin Beatson, with Horizons ETFs since 2009, and a predecessor company since 2004, continues in his role as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, and Julie Stajan, since her appointment in early February, continues as Chief Financial Officer.

The Horizons ETFs board of directors is also pleased to announce the appointment of Thomas Park, Executive Managing Director of Mirae Asset, and a member of the Board of Directors of Horizons ETFs since 2011, as Chief Corporate Development Officer.

"We are pleased to have such a strong and experienced management team in place, which will drive Horizons ETFs forward through its next stages of development in this increasingly competitive Canadian ETF marketplace," added Mr. Lee. "This new management structure provides balance and continuity to staff and our business partners, and aligns Horizons ETFs' interests with the synergistic development of Mirae Asset's global business.

About Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc. (www.HorizonsETFs.com)

Horizons ETFs is an innovative financial services company offering the Horizons ETFs family of exchange-traded funds. The Horizons ETFs family includes a broadly diversified range of investment tools with solutions for investors of all experience levels to meet their investment objectives in a variety of market conditions. With more than $4.7 billion in assets under management and 74 ETFs listed on the TSX (as at February 28, 2015), the Horizons ETFs family makes up one of the largest families of ETFs in Canada. Horizons ETFs is a subsidiary of Mirae Asset Global Investment Co., Ltd. and a member of the Mirae Asset Financial Group.

About Mirae Asset Global Investments Co., Ltd. (www.miraeasset.com)

Mirae Asset is one of the largest Asian asset managers with strong and extensive expertise in Asia and Emerging Markets. With over 570 employees, including more than 121 investment professionals, Mirae Asset has a presence in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam. Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, Mirae Asset manages approximately US$64.0 billion in assets globally, as of December 31, 2014, ranging from traditional funds to alternative investments.