Nadia, what are your responsibilities as managing director of platforms and subadvisory at MFS?

NS: I have overall responsibility for our key accounts and largest relationships: clients who use our funds for third-party business. This includes insurance companies that use commingled funds on a capital accumulation plan (CAP) platform or wealth management platform. I grew up working in an insurance company, so I feel very aligned with my clients and have a clear understanding of what they need. Also, on a personal level, being able to connect with clients is extremely important to me. Our strong working relationships keep me motivated. It really doesn’t feel like a job.

Taylor, how do you support the team’s efforts in relationship management?

TP: Collaborating closely with Nadia, my role primarily centres on the CAP market. My role transcends insurance companies; and my responsibilities encompass advisors, pension brokers and recordkeepers. Whether I’m engaging with client-facing investment staff at insurance companies or an advisor who works in the group retirement market, my mission is clear: to understand their responsibilities, uncover their challenges and provide options that may enhance their client-service capabilities. I love connecting clients with industry best practices and sharing insights that drive progress in different jurisdictions.

What are each of your top priorities for the upcoming year?

NS: MFS has an aspirational goal that guides us. MFS wants to be the CAP market’s active manager of choice. We’re very passionate about active management and think it’s critically important, given that CAP plans support the long-term wealth objectives of plan members. To realize it, we engage heavily with all our market sources, such as our clients, recordkeeper partners, consultants and advisors.

TP: My top priority is to help grow the target-date business in Canada. But this doesn’t start and stop there. I want MFS to be top of mind when advisors see a challenge or want insights related to the markets or investments; my goal is for MFS to be the partner that helps them better prepare for emerging trends.

Why are you passionate about the target-date space?

TP: Target-date funds are an investment option that could help members in the accumulation phase of their careers. For MFS, having a suite of these funds allows us to be a part of that journey. Being in this role also provides me with an opportunity to observe upcoming developments, like the evolving CAP landscape that will help members in reaching their long-term investment objectives, and how offerings will adapt over time.

How important is diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in your work?

NS: It’s very much a priority for me. We’ve come a long way as an industry, but we still have some distance to go. It’s important we embrace what diversity has to offer and make the workplace a more collaborative and inclusive environment. People need to feel like they belong. You can put as many diverse people as you want in a room, but if they don’t feel like they can thrive, you’re not going to get the best outcomes. There’s such a strong business case for diversity. If you give people a voice and seat at the table, you’re going to gain unique perspectives, which will make your organization stronger. As a manager, I actively mentor my team, encourage them to approach me with any questions and find ways to apply their ideas and opinions within our daily engagements.

TP: We have the privilege of collaborating with many stakeholders in the CAP market, such as plan sponsors, advisors and consultants—and more stakeholders are placing greater emphasis on DEI initiatives. This provides us with the opportunity to share insights from MFS employee resource groups, sparking conversations that extend beyond CAP investments.

How can organizations benefit from cognitive diversity?

NS: Everyone talks about social diversity and, to me, that’s a subset of cognitive diversity, which brings together diverse analytical perspectives. At MFS, one of our three investment pillars is collective expertise. We believe seeking diverse views provides better insights into stocks because we’re analyzing and seeing things that others may not—and helping to eliminate group think. Achieving cognitive diversity requires us to break away from hiring individuals with identical degrees from the same schools. Instead, it makes sense to recruit talent from different generations and educational backgrounds. Not every analyst needs an MBA, finance degree, or CFA certification. Engineers, information technology experts or political science graduates offer fresh perspectives and can question assumptions and enhance decision-making.

What are the advantages of working for a global firm?

TP: Being part of a global firms affords us the opportunity to learn from peers working in more mature CAP markets. We engage with peers in different jurisdictions frequently and participate in annual or semi-annual formal interactions. This enables us to identify emerging trends in other markets and critically assess how those trends might impact the Canadian market. The best part is I can share these insights with our clients.

NS: It’s not just about being global; it’s about harnessing the advantages of a global network. Our culture of collaboration, with our boots on the ground in diverse markets, enables us to freely exchange ideas and deeply understand companies—especially multinational ones. This global insight empowers our investment teams to make informed decisions, seeking to differentiate Company A from Company B. That’s the true strength of our global presence.