First State expands EM debt team with three hires

First State has hired three investment specialists to complete its emerging market debt team, following the appointment of F&C's Helene Williamson last month.

The group has poached another member of F&C's emerging market debt team - hiring Philip Fielding, who headed up segregated mandates.

Jan-Markus May and Manuel Cañas have also joined to work alongside team head Williamson when the group launches the First State Emerging Market Debt fund later this month, its first move into the retail EMD space.

May joins from UNIQA Financial Services, where he was senior portfolio manager of the UNIQA Emerging Markets Debt fund.

Williamson believes the emerging market debt space is seeing growing demand, benefitting from low bond yields.

"In a low bond yield environment the favourable debt dynamics in emerging market countries and the recent widening of credit spreads there make emerging markets debt very attractive," said Williamson.

"Our emerging markets debt team will have a disciplined investment strategy aimed at delivering the performance our clients expect."