The folks at a $870-billion-AUMA*, multinational arm of a publicly traded, Canadian insurer are expanding their U.S. fund business' lineup to 18 ETFs with more than $7.5 billion in combined AUM**.

Kristie Marie Feinberg Manulife John Hancock Investments President, CEO

On Wednesday (August 20), Kristie Feinberg, president and CEO of Manulife John Hancock Investments [profile], and Soraya Chabarek, president and CEO of Manulife | CQS Investment Management, unveiled the launch of the John Hancock Global Senior Loan ETF (JHNL on the NYSE Arca). Steve Deroian, global head of exchange traded products and models at Manulife John Hancock Investments, also weighed in.

Boston-based John Hancock Investment Management LLC (which rebranded earlier this year at Manulife John Hancock Investments) serves as JHLN's investment advisor, while New York City-based CQS (US), LLC (aka Manulife | CQS IM). (Manulife | CQS IM is part of Manulife Investment Management, and Manulife John Hancock Investments is part of Toronto-based Manulife Financial Corporation's Manulife global Wealth & Asset Management (WAM) arm.)

JHNL's inception date was Wednesday, and as of yesterday (August 21, i.e. one day later), it had about $79.81 million in AUM. The new ETF's expense ratio if 59 basis points (which bakes in a 12bps fee waiver promised through August 31, 2026).

James Fitzpatrick — portfolio manager, chief investment officer of North America, and head of global loans at Manulife | CQS IM — will PM JHLN.

Feinberg describes JHLN as drawing "on the deep expertise of Manulife | CQS Investment Management in global credit markets." Chabarek adds that the new fund "showcases the strength of the loan team's rigorous investment process that has been honed over nearly two decades."

"This ETF is designed to help investors pursue income and diversify their portfolios more effectively," Feinberg states. "It complements our existing active fixed-income ETF lineup and offers a compelling option for those seeking income generation, duration management, and enhanced total return potential."

"Our investment approach is fundamentally driven and enhanced by proprietary analytics. And we're placing a lot of emphasis on position sizing and agility to ensure that we're able to respond to market changes quickly," Chabarek states. "Our goal, as always, is to capture the best relative value opportunities across geographies and optimize outcomes for our clients."

Deroian puts the launch of JHLN in the context of what he describes the "significant role" that active fixed income ETFs play "in today's volatile market by offering investors the opportunity to seek consistent returns while managing risk efficiently."

"Manulife John Hancock Investment's active income ETFs are designed to adapt to changing market conditions, leveraging each team's expertise to identify and capitalize on opportunities as they arise," Deroian states. "By maintaining a flexible and responsive approach, we aim to provide our investors with the income and stability they need to navigate market fluctuations with confidence."

JHNL is an actively managed series of John Hancock Exchange-Traded Fund Trust. The new ETF's other service providers include:

ACA's Foreside Fund Services, LLC as distributor;

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as independent accounting firm; and

State Street Bank and Trust Company as custodian, dividend paying agent, securities lending agent, and transfer agent.

*As of March 31, 2025.

**As of July 31, 2025. 

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