Candriam. (2/13/24). "Press Release: Candriam Strengthens Thematic Investing Expertise with New Appointments and Announces Leadership Transition". London.

	Product	investment management
	Product 2	healthcare
	Person	Michielssens, Servaas (New York Life 202402– Head of Healthcare at Candriam before Ackermans & van Haaren + Candriam)
	Person 2	Thomson, Linden (New York Life 202402– Senior Fund Manager, Thematic Global Equity, Biotech at Candriam before AXA)

> Servaas Michielssens, PhD, CFA, appointed as Head of Healthcare, overseeing life care strategies

> Linden Thomson, CFA, appointed as Senior Fund Manager, leading strategies investing in the biotechnology sector and in the fight against cancer

> Rudi Van den Eynde, Head of Thematic Global Equity, to retire in Q1 2025

> Johan Van der Biest to become Head of Thematic Global Equity following Rudi’s retirement

Candriam, a global multi-asset manager focused on sustainable and responsible investing with over €144bn AUM1, today announces strategic roles and leadership changes within its Thematic Global Equity team, emphasising its commitment to best-in-class healthcare investing expertise.

Candriam has appointed Servaas Michielssens, PhD, CFA, as Head of Healthcare, effective 12 February 2024. Servaas, who returns to Candriam after a 16-month tenure at a private equity firm, will oversee Candriam’s healthcare offering, representing more than $4 billion in AUM2. He will also lead Candriam’s life care strategy alongside co-manager Pierre Vaurice. Servaas’ expertise and track record in the healthcare sector is well-established, having previously served as co-manager of Candriam’s strategies investing in the biotechnology sector and in the fight against cancer. Servaas will be based in Brussels.

In addition, Linden Thomson, CFA, has been appointed as Senior Fund Manager to lead Candriam’s strategies investing in the biotechnology sector, life care and in the fight against cancer, effective 19 February 2024. Linden, joining from AXA Investment Managers where she led the firm’s biotech strategy and served as Head of the Healthcare Franchise, was one of the first investment specialists in the biotechnology sector and brings over two decades of industry experience. Linden will be based in London.

These appointments align with Candriam’s strategic succession planning as Rudi Van den Eynde, the current Head of Thematic Global Equity, prepares for his retirement in Q1 2025. In anticipation of this transition, Johan Van der Biest, currently Deputy Head of Thematic Global Equity, will serve as Co-Head alongside Rudi. Following Rudi’s retirement, Johan will assume the role of Head of Thematic Global Equity. Johan’s 25-year tenure at Candriam has been marked by his significant contributions to the growth and innovation of the firm’s thematic platform.

Johan will lead a team of 21 investment professionals, aiming to grow Candriam’s thematic offering in line with clients’ needs and leveraging the expertise of its seasoned experts. There will be no changes to his fund management responsibilities. He will not be replaced as Deputy Head of Thematic Global Equity.

Nicolas Forest, CIO of Candriam, said: “We warmly welcome Servaas and Linden to the team. Their proven expertise and track record will further reinforce our leading position in healthcare investing, and their decision to join Candriam highlights the strong capabilities and esteemed reputation Candriam has established in this space. Candriam has long been at the forefront of thematic investment driven by global megatrends, with a successful track record in healthcare for over 20 years.

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to Rudi for his significant contributions, including pioneering Candriam’s strategy investing in the fight against cancer. And extend our congratulations to Johan on his new role, in recognition of the increasing responsibilities and significant contributions he has made over the decades.

“These strategic appointments and transitions ensure continuity, stability, and excellence in fund management across our Thematic Global Equity team. I am confident that new leadership will significantly enhance our capabilities and continue to deliver exceptional value to our clients in such an important space.”

Candriam’s Thematic Global Equity offering has over $11 billion in AUM as 31 December 2023, across 15 strategies. The approach is underpinned by innovative strategies with a broad investable universe focused on four identified long-term megatrends: Health, Environment, Technology and Demographics.

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Professional Biographies

Servaas Michielssens, PhD, CFA – Head of Healthcare

Servaas Michielssens is the Head of Healthcare at Candriam. After leaving Candriam in September 2022 for a role in an area of private equity that Candriam does not currently cover, Servaas decided to return to our company. He started his career in 2007 at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven as a PhD Student, where he became a Postdoctoral Researcher in 2011 and later moved to DSM research as a Visiting Researcher. He joined Max Planck Institute in Germany in 2014. Two years later, he moved to the business side as a Risk Analyst for AXA Belgium before joining Candriam in 2016 as a Senior Biotechnology Analyst and subsequently Fund Manager and Senior Fund Manager. Servaas holds a Master in Science and a Ph.D. in Chemistry (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) and is a CFA Charterholder.

Linden Thomson, CFA, – Senior Fund Manager, Thematic Global Equity

Linden will take the role of Senior Fund Manager at Candriam, managing Candriam’s strategies investing in the biotechnology sector and in the fight against cancer from 19 February 2024. Prior to joining Candriam, she worked at AXA Investment Managers where she was the Lead Manager, AXA IM Framlington Biotech Fund as well as the Head of their Healthcare Franchise and Member of the UK Executive Committee. She is a seasoned professional with over two decades of buy-side and sell-side experience as one of the early specialists in the biotechnology sector. Linden started her career at Goldman Sachs in 2003, establishing a deep technical expertise in the healthcare space, before moving on to a biotech hedge fund at start-up stage and subsequently to AXA Investment Managers in 2011. Linden holds a BS (Hons) in Medical Microbiology from the University of Edinburgh and is a CFA Charterholder.

Johan Van der Biest – Co-Head of Thematic Global Equity and then Head of Thematic Global
Equity

Johan Van der Biest has been managing technology portfolios since 1992, bringing a wealth of experience in technology investing and a comprehensive understanding of financial markets to his role. Throughout his career, Johan has managed or co-managed a diverse range of processes, including equity, bond, and global balanced portfolios. Johan has been part of the Candriam family and predecessors since 1992.He holds a degree in Commercial Engineering and a specialisation in Finance from the Catholic University of Louvain (KUL).

About Candriam

Candriam stands for "Conviction AND Responsibility In Asset Management" and is a global multi-specialist asset manager. A pioneer and leader in sustainable investments since 1996, Candriam manages around EUR 144 billion of assets under management3 with a team of more than 600 professionals. It operates management offices in Luxembourg, Brussels, Paris, and London, and has client representatives in more than 20 countries throughout continental Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Middle East. Candriam offers investment solutions4 in several key areas: bonds, equities, absolute performance strategies, and asset allocation, with a broad and innovative range of ESG strategies covering all its asset classes.

Candriam is a New York Life Investments Company5. New York Life Investments ranks among the world's largest asset managers6. For more information see: www.candriam.com.

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1 As of 30 June 2023.

2 As of 31 December 2023

3 As of 30 June 2023. As of 30/06/2023, Candriam changed the Assets Under Management (AUM) calculation methodology, and AUM now includes certain assets, such as non-discretionary AUM, external fund selection, overlay services, including ESG screening services, advisory consulting services, white labelling services, and model portfolio delivery services that do not qualify as Regulatory Assets Under Management, as defined in the SEC’s Form ADV. AUM is reported in EUR.

4 Not all products and services are available to all investors or in all regions.

5 New York Life Investments is a service mark used by New York Life Investment Management Holdings LLC and its subsidiary New York Life Investment Management LLC. Both are wholly owned indirect subsidiaries of New York Life Insurance Company.

6 Source: New York Life Investments ranked 25th among the world’s largest money managers within Pensions & Investments, June 2023. Rankings are based on total worldwide institutional assets under management for the year-end 2022. New York Life Investments assets include assets of affiliated investment advisors.

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Record changed: 2024-03-27

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