Vanguard has announced in a statement that portfolio manager Michael Roach will be moving from Vanguard’s American headquarters to take up the position of head of quantitative equity group of the Australian team.
Mr Roach will service Vanguard Australia’s suite of active funds and work with Dr Frank Polanco, Vanguard Australia portfolio manager of four years, and assistant portfolio manager Janel Jackson.
Mr Roach commented on the role people played in the success of Vanguard’s quantitative active strategies despite the advancements of technology.
“It seems as though we’re hearing and reading more and more lately about how so-called robots and automated processes are taking over from people in managing active strategies,” Mr Roach said.
“Leveraging technology is hugely important to our quantitative systems at Vanguard, but people remain an indispensable part of our process, as is the case with our index funds.”
Ms Jackson was relocated from Vanguard’s headquarters at the beginning of the year.
Ms Jackson spent nearly five years moving between positions at Vanguard headquarters, including chief of staff to chief investment officer Tim Buckley, before being assigned to the role of assistant portfolio manager at Vanguard Australia in January.
